WHALING  AND  FISHING. 


BY 


CHARLES     NORDHOFF, 

AUTHOR  OF  "MAN-OF-WAR  LIFE,"    "  THE  MERCHANT  VESSEL.1 


NEW  YORK : 
DODD,    MEAD    &    COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS. 


Entered  according  to  Act  .of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855,  by 

MOORE,  WILSTACH,    KEYS    &    CO., 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  Ohio. 


PREFACE. 


WITH  this  volume  my  story  of  life  at  sea  *B 
complete.  I  have  endeavored  to  give  a  strictly 
faithful  account  of  the  various  phases  of  a  sailor's 
existence.  I  have  borne  in  mind  the  usual 
objection  to  books  of  this  class:  that  they  are 
likely  to  inspire  youth  with  an  uneasy  longing 
for  a  wandering,  worthless  mode  of  life.  And  as 
my  little  books  were  likely  to  interest  young  men 
and  uovs,  my  aim  has  been  to  gi\re  a  plain  com- 
mon  sense  picture  of  that  about  wmch  a  false 
romance  throws  many  charms.  If  anything  I 
have  written  on  this  subject  shall  induce  a  young 
man,  launching  into  life,  to  make  a  sensible 
choice  of  evils,  by  looking  elsewhere  than  to  the 
Sea  for  the  adventurous  existence  which  his  spirit 
requires,  I  shall  be  rewarded. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Whalemen  Wanted!  A  Whaling  Shipping  Office — fhc 
Man-of-Wars-man  — The  Merchant  Seaman  — The  Whale- 
man—  Talk  with  the  Shipper  —  1  determine  on  a 
Whaling  Cruise  —  Go  to  New  Bedford.  -  »-  11 

CHAPTER    II. 

Sew  Bedford  — The  Town  — The  Wharves —  The  Shipping 
Office  — Prospective  Whalemen  — Old  Bill  — The  Outfit- 
ters —  Tricks  upon  the  Greenhorns  —  Hezekiah  Ellsprett 
Claims  the  Captain's  Stateroom  —  Old  Bill  and  the 
Ship-owner  —  The  Transformation.  '  -  -  21 

CHAPTER    III. 

The  Sag  Harbor  Whalemen  —  Shipped  at  last  —  Arransje- 
ment  of  a  Whaleship's  Decks  — The  Try  Works  — The 
Boats — The  Lower  Deck  —  Sailing  Day  —  Our  Crew  — 
Seasickness  —  Training  the  Greenhorns  —  Labors  of  an 
Outward  Bound  Whaleman  —  Drudgery.  -  -  40 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Land  He  i  Fayal  —  Anxiety  of  all  hands   to  get  ashore  — 
Portuguese  —  Their  resignation  —  Fruit  —  We  continue 
the  voyage  —  Fitting  the  vessel  for  her  cruise  —  Drilling     • 
the  crew  in  the  boats—  The  line  —  Chasing  Blackfish  -, 
ProTisions  —  Cooks  •  -  56 

(v) 


Tl  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    V 

Sabbath  —  Our  Captain's  Whaling  experience  —  Land  Ho! 
The  Scene  of  a  battle  —  Tristan  d'Acimha — The  story 
of  its  settlement  —  Governor  Glass  — The  internal  econ- 
omy of  the  settlement  —  Intercourse  with  shipping -- 
General  appearance  of  the  Island  —  A  wreck  —  An  excit- 
ing race —  Madagascar  or  Malaga?  ...  74 


CHAPTER   VI. 

The  "  Cruising  Ground  " — What  constitutes  Wiale  Ground 
—How  the  Haunts  of  Whales  are  Discovered  —  The  Disci- 
pline of  a  Whaleship  on  a  cruise  —  Monotony  of  the 
Life  —  Drawing  Water  —  Portuguese  Man-of-war  —  Cape 
St.  Mary's,  of  Madagascar  —  Raising  a  Finback  — 
"There  she  blows"  — A  false  Alarm  — Sperm  Whales 
— Preparation  for  lowering  —  "  Going  on  to  a  Whale  "  — 
"Give  it  to  him  !  "  —  The  Whales  run  — The  Chase  — 
The  last  Desperate  Effort,  and  accompanying  Mishap 
— "  Getting  stove  "  —  A  furious  Whale  —  We  are  picked 
up,  and  lose  the  Whale.  -  -  91 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Fitting  a  new  Boat  —We  raise  Whales  again  —  Our  Boat 
gets  fast  — The  Whale  takes  out  the  Line  — The  Mate 
despairs  —  Sunset  —  The  third  Mate  refastem — The 
Mate  kills  the  Whale  —  "  There's  Blood  "  —  The  Flurry- 
Getting  a  Fish  alongside  —  Cutting  in — Wrenching 
off  the  Head  — The  Teeth  — The  Junk  — The  Case  — 
Extraordinary  gathering  of  Sharks  —  Their  Rapacity 

—  Trying  on*,  —  Horse-pieces  —  Blanket-pieces  —  Mincing 

—  Division    of   Labor  —  A    Night    Scene  —  Nauseating 
Labor  —  Picking  out  fat-lean  —  Stowing  down  the  Oil  — 
Clearing  up  Deeks.  -  -  -  114 


CONTENTS.  V 

CHAPTER    VIII 

•  Gamming  "  —Sail  Ho !  —  The  Betsy  Ann  —  Her  Crew  — 
A  "  Merchant  Sailor  "—  A  Council  —  A  school  of  Whales 
—  A  race  between  two  Whale  boats  —  The  Offer  to  share 
the  Chances  refused  —  It  is  our  Whale  —  The  Barza- 
roota  Islands  —  Procuring  Wood  —  A  strange  Fish  — 
Harpooning  Hippopotami  —  We  cause  one  to  "spout 
blood"  —  Tow  it  Ashore  —  Hippopotamus  Steak  —  A 
Night  Visit  to  the  Shore  for  the  Purpose  of  Killing  a 
few  Hippopotami,  with  its  Results.  ....  188 

CHAPTER    IX. 

No  Whales  —  Tediousness  of  the  Life  —  Expedients  to  kill 
Time  —  The  Habits  of  Sperm  Whales  —  Their  Food  — 
The  Sperm  Whale  Squid  —Its  Arms— The  Whale's  Teeth, 
and  how  it  is  supposed  that  he  uses  them  —  Means  of 
Defense  possessed  by  Whales  —  The  right  Whale  —  The 
Humpback  —  Quickness  of  Motion  of  a  Sperm  Whale  — 
Lowering  in  a  Calm — Difficulty  of  approaching  a  Whale  at 
such  a  Time  —  He  Listens  —  Sudden  disappearance-^ 
Chasing  a  gallied  Whale  —  Rainy  Weather  —  Bourbon  — 
Determination  to  leave  the  Vessel  at  the  first  Opportu- 
nity—  The  Coast  of  Madagascar  —  A  Story  of  St. 
Mary's  Shoal.  .  166 

CHAPTER    X 

Something  further  concerning  the  habits  of  Whales  — 
The  Humpback  —  Their  liability  to  Sink  when  dead  — 
Aptongil  Bay  —  Our  Anchorage  —  The  denizens  of  the 
Jungle  —  Our  first  Whaling  day  —  A  Word  concerning 
the  Weather  — Actions  of  Whales  — Close  of  the  first 
Day — The  Night  —  Another  Deluge  —  We  get  fast  — 
The  Whale  spouts  Blood  —  Tenacity  of  Life  —  Towinur  - 
dead  Whale  — Cutting  in  — Trying  out  — A  "Cow  an« 


Tiii  CONTENTS. 

a  Calf* — Strong  affection  of  the  Mother-Whale  —  How 
Whalemen  take  advantage  of  this  —  The  Calf  is  killed 
— ?Fhe  Sharks  eat  up  our  Whale  —  Scaring  a  Humpback 
Its  Results.  -        -        -        -  174 

CHAPTER    XI 

Antongil  Bay,  continued — Whaling  near  Desolation  Island 
— Teddy — A  Character — Sea-Lions — How  they  are  Cap- 
tured—  Tannanarevou^- A  .City  on  a  hill  top  —  The 
Natives  — The  Scurvy — Burying  a  Man — Nearly  a  Ghost 
Story  —  The  Cook's  opinion  of  Ghosts  —  Attempts  at 
explanation,  meet  with  no  Favor  —  The  Result  —  Prepar- 
ing to  leave  the  Bay  —  Our  first  and  only  Holiday  in  the 
Bay — A  Tour  of  Exploration  — Disturbing  an  Ant's  nest 
—Flying  Foxes  —  We  proceed  to  Sea.  -  -  -  -194 

CHAPTER    XII. 

St.  Mary,  Madagascar  —  Applying  for  Liberty  —  It  is 
granted  —  Sickness  Ashore  — The  Town  and  Fort  —  Two 
Men  remain  over  night — They  are  taken  sick  and  die 
—  An  Auction  —  Reflections  —  The  Seychelles  —  Plans 
for  leaving  the  Vessel  —  We  raise  a  School  of  Whales  — 
How  a  dead  Whale  makes  headway  against  the  Wind  — 
Striking  a  Finback  —  "  There  blows  " —  The  excitement 
of  "  going  on  »  to  a  Whale— Fast  and  Loose  — A  Whale's 

Revenge  — The  Boat  Stove.    -  -  -21(1 

t .  . 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Mahe— A  Newspaper — The  Islands — Their  Inhabitants — A 
lazy  man's  Paradise — Plans  for  Escape — George  Thomp- 
son's Yarn  —  A  Cruise  in  a  Whale  boat  —  The  Escape  — 
Sailing  along  Shore — The  Arrival  at  Mozambique  —  Con- 
cerning Attempts  to  Desert  from  Whaleships  —  Some 
Reasons  *br  the  Frequent  of  such  Attempts.  -  -  281 


CONTENTS.  * 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

"Liberty" — The  Massowah  Vessel  —  She  wants  a  Hand 

—  I  go  alongside  —  The  Vessel  is  searched  —  We  sail  — 
T h*  trip  to  the  Mauritius  —  The  Crew  —  The  Captain  — 
Discipline — The  Land  —  Port  Louis  Harbor  —  I  gain  an 
unexpected  Friend  —  I   take  charge  of  the  Captain's 
Boat  — A  trip  to  Tombo  Bay —Paul  and  Virginia— The 
Island  —  Its  state  under   the  French  —  Under  British 
rule  —  Malabar     Apprentices  —  Malabar    Town  —  The 
Natives  —  Chinese.-       *  '*;*'"  •       •  -  24€ 

CHAPTER   XV. 

A  Touching  Ceremony — A  Sailor's  Grave — I  turn  Boatman 
— Life  in  the  Isle  of  France — Seeking  Employment — Joe 
Rodgers  —  A  Bullock  Drogher  —  Tamatave  Bay  —  The 
place  of  Sculls  —  Hump  cattle  —  Our  return  Passage  — 
Taming  wild  Cattle  —  Sancho  —  His  docility  —  Meeting 
Ashore — Difficulty  of  leaving  so  warm  a  Friend  —  A 
Wedding.  270 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

The  Annie  —  Her  Captain  —  I  Ship  in  her  —  Our  Crew  — 
A  Clipper's  Forecastle  —  Sleeping  Dzs-acconimodations 

—  Steering  —  "  Humbugging  "  —  Planning    a    Mutiny 

—  Counter  Planning — The  African  Coast — Algoa  Bay — 
The  Anchorage  —  Surf-boats  —  Cape  Boors  —  A  South 
Easter  — A  Double  Wreck  — Lloyd's  Agent.  -        -  281 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Consequences  of  the  Wreck  —  A  New  Crew  —  Scotch 
English —  Uses  of  a  Barometer  —  A  South-easter  Squall 
—Return  to  Port  Louis — Ship  for  England — The  Pauline 
Houghton  — Talking  to  the  Mate  —  Our  Crew  —  Paddy 
—An  examination  in  Seainanship —  The  Ship  —  Her 


X  CONTENTS. 

rotten  rigging  —  The  Captain's  daily  siesta  —  The  Mate 
gets  himself  into  trouble  —  How  to  gain  the  respect  of 
a  tyrant  —  Shooting  at  a  mark  —  The  Trades  —  Paddy's 
last  torture  —  Short  handed  —  Sufferings  —  Kecuperat- 
ing — Seeking  a  Berth  —  The  last  act  of  Tyranny  — 
Paying  off — A  "  Recommendation."  -  SIX 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

1  wait  foT  the  Barque —  Disappointed —  "  Working  n  a  Pas- 
sage—  New  York  after  two  yea/a'  Absence — Coasting — 
Cape  Men — Smyra,  the  Cook — Our  Crew  go  Home — Ship 
Keeping — Solitude  leads  to  Reflection — A  "Coaster's  Life 
— A  "Stranger" — The  Cape — The  Mary  Hawes — A 
"  Fish  Crew  "  —  Fishing  «  at  Half  Line  "—We  Sail  — 
Preparing  for  Business  —  The  Vessel  —  Her  Captain.  -  342 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

'•The  Fleet"— A  Night  Scene—The  First  Day  on  Fish 
Ground — Habits  of  Mackerel — Advantages  of  being  in  a 
Fast  Vessel  — Why  there  is  a  "Fleet"  — Method  of 
Taking  Mackerel  —  Bait  used  —  Monotony  of  the  Fisher- 
man's Life — A  Fish-day — Premonitory  Symptoms — Rain 
— "  Shorten  Up  " — Breakfast — Dressing  Fish — Making 
a  Harbor  —  Salting  down  —  Coming  to  Anchor  —  After 
Supper  Comforts  —  The  Morning  after  a  Storm — The 
Close  of  the  Trip — Depart  for  New  York — I  Determine 
to  quit  the  Sea—  "ad  do  so — Difficulties  Attending  such 
»  Change  with  the  Sailor.  3UI 


WHALING  AND  FISHINtt 


CHAPTER  I. 

WANTED! — A  Whaling  Shipping  Office — The  Maa- 
.flf-wars-man — The  Merchant  Seamen — The  Whaleman— Talk 
with  the  Shipper — I  Determine  on  a  Whaling  Cruise — Go  to 
«few  Bectftrd. 

"  LANPSMEN  WANTED  ! !  ONE  THOUSAND 
STOUT  YOUNG  MEN,  AMERICANS,  WANTED 
fof  the  fleet  of  whaleships,  now  fitting  out 
for  the  North  and  South  Pacific  Fisheries. 

"Extra  chances  given  to  Coopers,  Car- 
penters and  Blacksmiths. 

"  None  but  industrious  young  men,  with 
good  recommendations,  taken.  Such  will 
have  superior  chances  for  advancement. 

"  Outfits,  to  the  amount  of  SEVENTY-FIVE 
DOLLARS  furnished  to  each  individual,  be- 
fore proceeding  to  sea. 


12  WHALING    AN  D    FISHING. 

"  Persons  desirous  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  present  splendid  opportunity  of  seeing 
the  world,  and  at  the  same  time  acquiring  a 
profitable  business,  will  do  well  to  make 
early  application  to  the  undersigned." 

Such  were  the  contents  of  a  flaring  poster, 
whose  bright  capitals  caught  my  eye,  as  one  morn- 
ing I  was  rambling  with  a  shipmate  along  South 
street,  on  the  East  River  side  of  New  York.  Such 
notices  are  no  rarity  in  the  Eastern  seaports. 
"Whale  crews"  are  in  almost  constant  demand, 
and  these  "  Wants  "  and  "  Fine  Chances,"  stare 
one  in  the  face  on  nearly  every  street  corner.  They 
are  the  lures  by  means  of  which  the  farm -boys, 
the  factory -boys,  and  the  city -boys  are  drawn  to 
the  net  of  the  shipper.  The  very  hopeful,  and 
delightful,  but  somewhat  overdrawn  picture  of  a 
whaleman's  life,  here  in  few  words  set  forth,  has 
enticed  many  a  tolerably  honest,  but  withal  lazy 
lad  to  seek  the  shipper's  office,  and  engage  himself 
for  a  three  or  four  years  cruise. 

To  a  sailor  this  avenue  to  a  whaleship  is 
hermetically  sealed.  Neither  here  nor  in  New 
Bedford  is  he  at  all  likely  to  be  shipped  —  for 
experience  has  taught  the  captains  and  owners  of 
whaling  vessels  that  your  real  tar  is  too  uneasy 
a  creature  to  be  kept  in  good  order  for  so  long  a 
cruise  as  whalemen  now-a-days  generally  make. 

Knowing  very  well  that  the  shippers  will  not 


THE    SHIPPING    OFFICE.  13 

engage  them,  it  is  no  uncommon  amusement 
with  sailors,  to  step  into  one  of  these  whaling 
shipping  offices,  and  make  all  manner  of  inquiries 
concerning  the  business,  the  pay,  the  prospects  of 
success,  and  finally  perhaps,  to  offer  to  engage 
themselves — at  which  last  stage  the  agent  gener- 
ally breaks  off  all  communication  by  informing 
his  mischievous  visitors  that  he  has  at  present  no 
chances  open. 

"  Here's  the  office,  Charley,"  said  my  shipmate, 
who  had  been  amusing  himself  at  the  expense  of 
one  of  the  bright  posters  we  had  passed.  "  Let's 
go  in  and  talk  a  little  to  the  old  fellow.  I'll  ask 
him  if  he  don't  remember  shipping  me  as  boat- 
steerer  in  the  Happy-go-lucky." 

"  You  don't  look  green  enough  for  a  whaleman, 
Jack,"  said  I. 

"  No/'  answered  he,  giving  his  trowsers  an 
extra  hitch,  and  his  rakish  little  nat  a  more  know- 
ing set,  "there's  no  green  here,  lad;  but  come  in." 

We  stepped  into  a  tolerably  roomy  office,  divided 
into  two  unequal  parts  by  a  railing,  behind  which 
stood  a  desk,  upon  which  leaned  a  tall,  black- 
bearded,  shrewd  looking  man.  This  proved  to  be 
the  shipper,  or  shipping-master,  as  this  dignitary 
is  styled  by  seamen.  The  front  and  largest  divi- 
sion of  the  office  was  furnished  with  several  long 
forms  or  benches,  ranged  along  the  wall,  some 
chairs,  and  an  occasional  spit-box.  On  the  benches 
reclined  at  full  length  three  as  verdant  specimens 
of  humanity  as  could  be  easily  conceived  of.  Dirty, 


14  WHALING    AND    PISH3NQ. 

lazy  looking  wretches  they  were,  withal,  whose 
begrimed  faces,  and  filthy  shirts  betokened  a  most 
inconsistent  aversion  to  the  element  upon  which 
they  were  about  to  seek  their  fortunes.  One  of 
them  I  noticed  had  already  taken  the  initiatory 
gtep  in  sailorship — his  mouth  was  filled  with  to- 
bacco, and  the  saliva  was  trickling  from  the  lower 
corner,  to  the  floor  beneath. 

"  Industrious  young  men,  with  good  recom- 
mendations," muttered  my  companion,  in  a  very 
audible  whisper. 

The  shipper  evidently  looked  upon  us  as  rather 
unwelcome  intruders,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  tell 
us.  that  there  were  no  chances  to  ship. 

"  Don't  you  want  to  ship  a  good  Boatsteerer  ?  " 
askad  my  friend,  in  reply  to  this  hint. 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  were  ever 
whaling?  "  was  the  Yankee  answer  to  this.  The 
accustomed  eye  of  the  shipper  had  seen  at  first 
glnnce  that  neither  of  us  were  whalemen;  and  had 
we  disguised  ourselves  with  all  possible  care,  he 
would  still  have  been  as  sure  as  before,  of  this.  It 
is  a  singular  fact,  that  seamen,  as  also  those  who 
bave  much  dealings  with  them,  can  tell,  almost  at 
a  single  glance  at  a  sailor,  and  with  the  most  un- 
erring certainty,  what  special  department  of  his 
business  he  has  most  generally  followed.  What 
may  be  the  actual  distinguishing  marks,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  say.  But  they  are  there,  plainly 
visible  to  the  initiated,  and  unconcealable  by  any 
but  the  most  experienced  old  seadogs,  who,  havicg 


SEAMEN.  15 

seen  a  little  of  all  services,  sometimes  succeed  in 
making  themselves  a  puzzle,  even  to  .he  discrim- 
inating vision  of  the  shipper. 

Of  these  distinguishing  marks  it  may  be  said 
kowever,  that  the  man-of- wars-man  isknownj  by 
a  certain  jaunty  neatness  of  attire,  and  a  some 
thing  dashing,  and  carelessly  gay,  in  his  air  ana 
manner,  which  is  above  all  others  his  peculiarity. 
Let  him  dress  as  he  will,  he  can  never  drop  that 
air  of  saucy  recklessness. 

The  merchant  seaman  is  rough,  weatherbeaten, 
with  hard  features,  face  and  neck  bronzed  by 
many  suns,  and  hands  swollen  by  hard  work.  But 
he  is  more  particularly  distinguishable  by  an  in- 
discribable  awkwardness,  in  manner  and  gait. 
Toil  and  exposure  have  made  his  body  stiff  and 
clumsy.  His  tout  ensemble  presents  more  angulari- 
ties than  that  of  his  brother  of  the  service,  and  in 
his  motions  he  displays  none  of  the  easy  grace  of 
the  latter.  Withal,  his  clothing  fits  him  badly. 
The  most  skillful  tailor  gives  him  up  in  despair, 
and  he  lumbers  through  the  world  with  an  ungainly 
roll,  which  somehow  puts  one  in  mind  of  a  bear.  It 
IB  in  storm,  and  danger,  "  in  the  times  that  try 
men's  souls,"  that  Forecastle  Jack  shows  to  ad- 
vantage. 

But  how  shall  I  describe  a  whaleman?  that 
walking  embodiment  Eag-fair  —  "  patch  upon 
patch,  and  a  patch  over  all."  While  Jack  and  I  are 
taking  a  survey  of  the  office,  there  comes  in  a  fair 
specimen  of  the  genus.  "  He  is  a  boatsteerer '' — 


16  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

the  shipper  whispers  to  me  as  he  sees  him  enter 
the  door ;  and  he  is  probably  a  smart  fellow,  else 
would  he  not  be  cordially  welcomed  in  az»d  alter  • 
ttvely  listened  to  by  that  worthy. 

He  is  a  rather  slender,  middle-sized  man,  with  a 
very  sallow  cheek,  and  hands  tanned  of  a  deep  and 
enduring  saffron  color.  He  is  very  round-shoulder- 
ed, the  effect  possibly  of  much  pulling  at  his  oar. 
He  has  a  singular  air  of  shabbiness  about  him,  as 
though  he  had  bought  his  fit-out  in  Chatham 
street,  of  some  dealer  in  second-hand  garments. 
Neither  does  he  look  at  all  at  home  in  the  "  shore 
ilothes  "  which  he  carries  about.  His  shoes  are 
rough  and  foxy,  and  the  strings  trail  upon  the 
ground,  as  he  walks.  His  browsers  fail  to  connect, 
joy  several  inches,  showing  a  margin  of  coarse, 
grey  woolen  sock,  intervening  between  their  bot- 
toms, and  his  shoes.  A  portion  of  his  red  flannel 
drawers  is  visible,  above  the  waistband  of  his 
pantaloons;  while  a  rusty  black  handkerchief 
at  the  throat,  fastened  by  a  large  ring,  made  of 
the  tooth  of  a  sperm  whale,  and  inlaid  with  mother- 
of-pearl,  keeps  together  a  shirt  bosom,  which  is  in- 
nocent of  a  single  button.  A  cutaway  coat  of  sum- 
mer-cloth, and  a  little  glazed  cap  complete  his  cos- 
tume. But  that  which  strikes  one  as  his  most  mark- 
ed peculiarity  is  .a  certain  uncertainty  in  his  gaze, 
which  seems  to  betoken  a  lack  of  self-confidence, 
He  moves  along  with  a  spiritless  dawdle,  which  is 
quite  in  unison  with  his  general  expression  of  list- 
lessness.  He  evidently  feels  but  ill  at  ease  in 


ABOATSTEERER.  17 

and  stockings.  He  speaks  in  an  undertone, 
»&  though  not  judging  it  worth  while  to  talk 
louder.  His  appearance  is  thoroughly  unprepos- 
sessing, and  calculated  to  give  one  the  impreesioi. 
that  he  is  quite  the  reverse  of  "  smart." 

This  is  a  whaleman,  ashore. 

"Who  is  he?"  I  asked  of  the  shipper,  as  he 
lounged  out  of  the  office  door,  after  receiving  some 
money,  evidently  the  object  of  his  visit  to  the 
shipping-office. 

"  That  fellow,"  was  the  answer,  spoken  with 
Borne  degree  of  pride  ;  "  that's  Ezekiel  Wixon,  a 
mighty  smart  man,  I  can  tell  you,  and  death  on  a 
sperm  whale.  I've  got  him  a  birth  as  third  mate 
and  boatsteerer  in  the  finest  ship  that  will  sail 
from  New  Bedford  this  season,  and  I  would  not 
hesitate  to  bet  money  that  he  will  be  chief  mate 
of  her  next  voyage." 

I  should  never  have  guessed  it,  from  his  appear- 
ance ;  but  it  was  even  so.  And  when  I  subse- 
quently came  to  New  Bedford,  I  found  this  awk- 
ward looking  fellow  hand-in-glove  with  every 
out-fitter  in  the  place — a  sure  sign  that  his  smart- 
ness as  a  whale-man  was  beyond  doubt. 

While  I  was  talking  to  the  shipper,  my  com- 
panion saw  something  in  the  street  to  attract  his 
attention,  and  left  me.  Being  thus  w  thout  com- 
pany I  continued  my  conversation  with  the  talk- 
ative shipping-master,  gaining  from  him  some 
information  in  regard  to  a  branch  of  the  whaling 
business,  of  which  I  had  hitherto  learnt  but  little, 
2 


18  WHALING    AND    PISHINtt. 

He  explained  to  me  how  and  on  what  terms  th« 
greenhands,  or  landsmen,  as  with  a  proper  respect 
for  the  income  they  produced  him  he  preferred  to 
call  them,  were  engaged,  as  well  as  many  par- 
ticulars then  heard  by  me  for  the  first  time,  in 
regard  to  the  manner  in  which  "  the  hands  "  are 
fitted  out  for  a  whaling  cruise. 

There  are  shipping-offices  in  all  the  piincipal 
American  seaports,  as  well  as  in  some  of  the  cities 
bordering  on  the  lakes.  Each  of  these  offices  has 
its  headquarters  at  New  Bedford  or  some  other  of 
the  whaling  ports,  and  thither  such  men  as  they 
can  pick  up,  are  sent,  at  the  risk  and  expense  of 
the  shipper.  On  their  arrival,  they  are  taken  in 
charge  by  the  resident  agent,  who  provides  them 
with  boarding  houses,  and  next  proceeds  to  pro- 
cure for  them  places  on  board  some  outward  bound 
vessel.  The  shipper  charges  ten  dollars  per  man 
for  his  services,  besides  having  his  outlays  refunded 
him.  These  expenses,  as  well  as  board  bill  for  the 
time  the  prospective  whaleman  is  obliged  to  re- 
main in  port,  are  included  in  the  seventy -five 
dollars  outfit  which  figures  so  conspicuously  on 
ciie  posters  before  mentioned. 

As  neither  shippers  nor  outfitters  receive  a  cent 
from  the  owners  till  the  vessel  is  fairly  at  sea,  it 
behooves  them  to  pick  out  the  steadiest  looking 
men.  Frequent  loss  has  taught  them  to  regard 
the  fickle-minded  sailor  with  a  large  degree  of 
aversion,  and  to  cherish  a  corresponding  degree 
of  good  feeling  toward  every  degree  and  kin<* 


AN    OLD    SHIPMATE.  IS 

of  verdancy,  from  that  of  the  farmer  boy,  to  that 
no  less  evident,  of  the  "counter -jumper  ' 

{i  In  fact,"  remarked  the  shipper  to  ne,  "it 
would  never  do  for  us  to  bring  sailors  to  a  whaling 
port,  for  the  owners  will  not  take  them  in  their 
ships.  You  old  salts  are  an  unquiet  set,  and 
never  make  good  whalemen." 

"With  a  smile  at  his  opinion  of  sailors,  I  took 
my  leave  of  the  shipper.  His  account  of  New 
Bedford,  which  was  his  chief  scene  of  operations, 
had  aroused  my  curiosity  to  see  somewhat  of  a 
whaling  port,  and  I  began  to  think  seriously  of 
taking  a  trip  thither  in  some  little  coaster,  and 
spending  some  weeks  there.  I  had  still  money 
enough — why  not  indulge  this  whim? 

As  I  walked  along,  ruminating  upon  my  plan, 
an  old  acquaintance,  a  captain  of  a  coaster,  with 
whom  I  had  made  a  voyage  once  before  the  mast, 
accosted  me,  and  after  shaking  hands,  and  a 
hearty  inquiry  after  my  welfare,  asked  me  if  1 
would  not  go  with  him  to  New  Bedford. 

"  I'll  only  want  a  man  to  help  me  as  far  as 
there,  where  I  have  now  one  of  my  old  hands, 
waiting  for  the  vessel  (a  little  schooner),  and 
I'll  give  you  five  dollars  for  the  run." 

"Agreed,"  said  I,  without  stopping  to  take  a 
•econd  thought ;  "  when  do  you  sail  ?  " 

"  To-morrow  morning,  with  the  first  flood." 

We  walked  down  aboard  the  schooner,  a  neat 
little  craft  of  some  sixty  tuns,  and  talked  over 
old  times  for  a  while,  when  I  returned  to  my 


20  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

boarding  house,  to  pack  up  my  luggage,  and  pre- 
pare myself  for  the  morrow.  On  mature  con- 
sideration, 1  determined  to  take  all  my  effects 
along  with  me,  so  that  should  I  make  up  my  mind 
to  ship  for  a  cruise  in  a  whaler,  I  should  bo 
prepared. 

Accordingly  on  the  following  morning,  I  bade 
good-by  to  the  few  ship-mates  whom  I  had  met 
while  in  New  York  that  time,  (but  without  com- 
municating to  any  one  of  them  my  thoughts  con- 
cerning making  a  cruise  in  a  whaler),  and  took 
my  chest  and  hammock  aboard  the  schooner. 
The  tide  serving  soon  after  I  got  on  board,  we 
cast  off  from  the  pier  and  stood  up  the  river,  amid 
a  fleet  of  coasters,  all  bound  through  Hurlgate,  and 
up  "  the  Sound."  It  was  a  fair  day,  in  midsum- 
mer, and  as  we  sailed  along  with  a  pleasant 
breeze,  my  old  shipmate,  the  captain,  or  skipper,  as 
he  was  most  generally  addressed,  sat  himself  down 
by  me  to  have  another  talk  over  days  past,  when 
we  were  together  inmates  of  a  forecastle,  and  to 
hear  somewhat  of  my  adventures  since. 

"  But  why  did  you  bring  with  you  all  your 
things,  Charley  ?"  said  he,  when  at  length  I  had 
bi  ought  my  yarn  to  a  close. 

"  "Well,"  I  answered,  with  some  degree  of  hesi- 
tation, for  I  was  half  ashamed  to  disclose  my 
thoughts  even  to  an  old  friend,  "  I  have  half  an 
idea  cf  shipping  in  a  whaler." 

"  I  hope  you  won't  make  such  a  fool  of  your 
self,  my  dear  fellow,"  was  the  answer  to  this, 


PASSAGE  TO  NEW  BEDFORD.         2t 

•'  At  any  rate."  continued  he,  "  there's  but  little 
danger  of  it,  for  no  owner  9r  captain  in  New  Bed 
ford,  would  ship  such  an  old  salt  as  you." 

Now,  I  may  as  well  own  here,  that  this  con* 
tinued  assertion,  that  I  would  not  be  able  to 
obtain  a  birth  in  any  whaleship  in  New  Bedford, 
had  the  effect  of  adding  much  strength  to  my  at 
first  but  weakly  entertained  wish.  The  more 
insurmountable  seemed  the  difficulties  which 
hedged  about  my  undertaking,  the  more  earnestly 
it  took  hold  of  my  mind,  and  the  more  desirable 
did  its  attainment  appear  to  me.  And  thus  it 
came  about,  that  before  we  reached  New  Bedford, 
1  was  firmly  resolved  to  leave  no  avenue  un- 
tried, in  my  effort  to  obtain  a  place  on  a  whaler. 
It  must  not  be  supposed  however,  that  the  wish  to 
make  a  trial  of  whaling,  and  add  this  to  my  expe- 
riences of  sea  life,  was  altogether  of  so  late  a  date 
as  the  previous  day.  On  the  contrary,  I  had  long 
entertained  the  determination  to  make  a  whale 
cruise  at  some  time  or  other,  and  every  whaling 
yarn  spun  in  a  forecastle  served  to  keep  alivo 
this  thought.  But  I  had  never  before  now  set  a 
time  and  place  for  the  carrying  into  effect  of  this 
idea 


22  WHALING    AND    FISHINO, 


CHAPTER  II. 

BEDFORD— The  Town— The  Wharves— The  Shipping  Offion 
— Prospective  Whalemen— Old  Bill— The  Outfitters— Tricks 
upon  the  Greenhorns — Hezekiah  Ellsprett  claims  the  Cap 
tain's  Stateroom— Old  Bill  and  the  Ship-owner— The  Trans- 
formation. 

WE  arrived  in  New  Bedford  after  a  short  and 
pleasant  run  of  twenty  hours  through  the  Sound. 
As  soon  as  the  vessel  was  anchored  opposite  the 
wharves,  I  persuaded  the  cook  to  set  me  ashore, 
and  proceeded  to  seek  a  boarding  house,  and  take 
a  preliminary  survey  of  the  town. 

I  experienced  no  difficulty  in  securing  a  place 
where,  for  a  very  moderate  sum  per  week,  I  was 
to  be  furnished  with  what  the  good  lady  called 
"  lodging  and  victuals,"  and,  after  getting  my  lug- 
gage ashore,  and  receiving  the  five  dollars  due  me 
for  helping  to  work  the  schooner  to  this  place,  I 
»et  out  on  a  ramble  over  the  town.  This  I  found 
to  differ  in  many  particulars  from  any  other 
American  seaport  I  had  ever  been  in,  and,  indeed 
from  any  conceptions  I  had  formed  in  my  own 
mind  of  its  general  appearance. 

For  a  place  in  which  so  large  a  business  is  car 
lied  on  as  here,  "  Bedford"  is  remarkably  still 
At  the  distance  of  three  squares  from 


NEW    BEDFORD.  23 

side,  one  would  never  guess  thaifhe  stood  within 
the  bounds  of  a  city  which  ranks  in  commercial 
importance  the  seventh  seaport  in  the  Union,  and 
whose  ships  float  upon  every  ocean.  A  more  quiet 
and  rural  looking  place  than  that  portion  of  the 
city  beyond  the  immediate  business  limits,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  imagine.  And  a  more  beau 
tifully  laid  out  or  better  kept  city  I  never  saw. 
It  was  now  mid-summer,  and  the  spacious  man- 
sions embowered  in  green  foliage,  which  border 
the  principal  streets,  looked  really  enchanting  to 
my  eyes,  long  wearied  with  monotonous  salt  watei 
views;  while  a  walk  up  the  well  shaded  streets 
was  like  a  trip  into  the  country.  New  Bedford 
well  deserves  the  name  of  being  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  cities  in  New  England. 

The  business  portion  of  the  town  is  confined 
within  a  comparatively  limited  space.  One  long 
street,  running  parallel  with  wharves,  is  almost 
exclusively  devoted  to  the  shops  of  the  outfitters, 
who  play  a  far  from  unimportant  part  in  the 
drama  of  whaling,  and  of  whom  more  particular 
mention  will  be  made  further  on.  On  the  littl 
branch  streets  by  which  this  main  street  commu- 
nicates with  the  water  side,  the  sailor  boarding 
houses  are  mainly  found.  Many  of  these  are 
kept  by  the  widows  of  departed  whalemen,  who 
earn  a  scanty  subsistence  by  providing  the  afore- 
mentioned "  lodgeing  and  victuals"  for  numer- 
ous youthful  aspirants  to  spouting  honors,  whc 
here  do  congregate. 


24  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

Passing  by  the  boarding  houses,  we  come  to  the 
wharves,  along  which,  fronting  the  water  side, 
are  the  warehouses  and  counting  rooms  of  vari- 
DUS  ship  owners  and  dealers  in  oil,  bone,  and 
spermaceti.  These  are  scattered  along,  without 
regular  connection,  the  scene  varied  here  and 
there  by  a  blacksmith's  or  cooper's  shop,  which 
two  branches  of  industry  seem  to  be  in  a  pecu- 
liarly nourishing  condition  hereabouts. 

Looking  down  to  the  water  now,  we  see  a  fe^ 
straggling  wharves,  between  which  lie  numerous 
vessels  in  various  states  of  readiness  and  unreadi- 
ness for  departure  on  their  long  voyages. 

Here  lies  a  huge  hull,  careened  over  on  the  flat, 
her  exposed  side  and  bottom  being  thoroughly 
resheathed  and  new  coppered,  dozens  of  men 
crawling  all  over  her  vast  bilge,  sawing,  fitting, 
and  hammering.  Yonder  is  an  old  hulk,  whose 
topsides  have  been  torn  away,  to  make  room  for 
new  ones,  by  which  means  she  will  become  almost 
as  strong  as  a  new  vessel.  Here,  at  the  wharf,  is 
a  craft  in  a  more  forward  state;  her  masts  are 
now  being  put  in,  and  as  we  are  looking  at  her,  a 
general  shout  proclaims  that  the  main -mast  has 
just  been  stepped.  And  a  little  farther  on  we 
see  a  rusty -looking  old  tub,  just  being  converted 
into  a  saucy  clipper  by  the  aid  of  a  plentiful  ap- 
plication of  paint. 

All  is  life,  and  wherever  the  eye  rests  the  scene 
is  one  of  ceaseless  activity.  Yet  there  appears 
none  of  the  hurrying,  bustle,  and  in  particular. 


THE    WHARVES.  2C 

none  of  the  noise  which  is  a  disagreeable  attend- 
ant on  all  business  about  the  wharves  of  other 
large  cities.  In  this,  more  than  aught  else,  New 
Bedford  differs  from  any  other  American  seaport. 

The  stranger,  placed  on  these  wharves,  in  igno- 
rance of  his  locality,  would  not  long  be  without 
the  material  on  which  to  predicate  a  reasonable 
guess.  At  every  few  steps,  all  locomotion  is  hin- 
dered or  obstructed  by  long  tiers  of  huge,  dirty 
casks,  redolent  of  train  oil,  while  ever  and 
anon,  one  stumbles  over  a  bundle  of  whalebone, 
or  brings  up  against  a  pile  of  harpoons,  lances, 
boatspades,  and  other  implements  for  dealing 
death  to  leviathan — all  of  which  proclaim  "in 
language  not  to  be  mistaken,"  the  calling  of  the 
place.  With  here  and  there  a  patched,  weather- 
beaten  whaleboat,  turned  bottom  up  upon  the 
shore,  and  an  occasional  pile  of  oars,  the  view  is 
tolerably  complete. 

But  I  imagine  the  wharves  of  New  Bedford 
would  be  incomplete  without  a  due  sprinkling 
of  prospective  whalemen,  wandering  listlessly 
about,  looking  up  with  silent  wonder  at  the,  to 
them,  vast  hight  of  the  ships'  masts,  or  perhaps 
sagely  inquiring  "when  the  apartments  for  the 
sailors  will  be  ready  for  their  reception  ?" 

My  first  day  in  New  Bedford  was  devoted  to  a 
lengthened  stroll  through  the  city,  and  over  the 
wharves.  I  satisfied  a  curiosity  long  entertained, 
by  a  close  examination  of  several  whaling  vessels, 
just  come  home,  or  being  fitted  for  a  cruise,  an ci 
3 


26  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

there  remarking  in  what  the  general  arrangements 
of  the  decks  and  rigging  of  a  "  blubber-hunter" 
differ  from  those  of  a  merchant  clipper.  By  the 
time  I  got  my  breakfast  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, I  had  fully  determined  to  ship  here  for  a 
whale  cruise.  My  first  object,  therefore,  was  to 
make  the  acquaintance  of  some  one  of  the  ship- 
pers, and  induce  him  to  use  his  influence  in  procur- 
ing me  a  berth.  Having  obtained  directions 
to  the  most  extensive  shipping  establishments 
in  town,  I  called  in,  in  the  course  of  the  forenoon, 
to  settle  the  preliminaries,  and  inquire  as  to  the 
terms  on  which  men  were  engaged. 

Turning  down  one  of  the  little  by -streets  which 
lead  from  the  main  street  to  the  water  side,  I 
came  upon  a  large  building,  evidently  once  used 
as  a  factory,  which  I  saw  by  a  conspicuous  sign 
over  the  principal  entrance,  was  a  "  Shipping 
Office."  Entering,  I  saw  before  me,  in  a  very  long 
room,  about  sixty  young  men,  some  lying  down 
upon  the  bare  floor,  some  lounging  upon  boxes, 
and  a  few,  sitting  in  a  corner  apart,  having  a 
stealthy  game  at  cards.  A  few  were  reading,  but 
the  greater  number  were  whittling  pine  sticks, 
nud  keeping  up  a  running  fire  of  low  ribaldry, 
wherein  the  most  vulgar  was  evidently  the  best 
liked.  These  were  embryo  whalemen,  the  pros- 
pective slayers  of  countless  leviathans,  the  humble 
instruments  of  shedding  no  inconsiderable  quan- 
tity of  light  upon  their  country. 

Some  I  noticed,  had  already  donned  portioni 


GREEN    HANDS.  27 

:>f  their  out-fit,  and  strutted  about  in  linsey  wool- 
sey  shirts,  ill-fitting  pepper-and-salt  trowsers,  and 
glazed  hats;  evidently  producing  quite  an  im« 
pression  upon  themselves,  as  well  as  upon  their 
less  fortunate  comrades,  who  not  yet  having 
shipped,  were  compelled  to  retain  their  now 
heartily  despised  "  longtogs." 

Yery  few  among  them  had  beards.  Most  of 
them  were  very  young  men,  or  rather,  overgrown 
boys — already  too  large  ever  to  become  good  sea- 
men— but  just  at  that  age  when  they  would  con- 
tract all  the  vices  of  the  sailor,  without  gaining 
one  of  the  good  qualities  which,  in  Jack  Tar, 
sometimes  go  far  to  counterbalance  and  cover  up 
his  multitude  of  sins.  I  felt  sorry  for  these  strip- 
lings, thus  sundering  themselves  from  all  the  re- 
straints of  civilized  life.  There  were  among  them 
some  intelligent  faces,  and  a  few,  a  very  few — not 
more  than  two  or  three  of  the  fifty  or  sixty 
present — who  bore  in  their  countenances  and 
their  manners  the  unmistakable  evidences  of 
careful  and  moral  training. 

Most  of  those  before  me  had  already  made  a 
beginning  upon  the  paths  of  vice,  and  for  them 
the  sea  was  pleasant  only  in  so  far  as  they  thought 
to  find  in  a  sailor's  life  a  larger  license  than  the 
laws  and  customs  of  the  shore  permit. 

I  was  not  long  in  the  hall,  ere  I  found  my- 
self an  object  of  very  general  attention,  its  in- 
mates evidently  guessing  at  once  that  I  was  a 
sailor,  the  gei  uine  article  which  some  of  them 


8  WHALING    AND     FISHIN&. 

were  so  ridiculously  attempting  to  counterfeit.  ll 
was  comical  to  see  how  closely  they  watched  my 
every  movement,  each  endeavoring  to  copy  some 
particular  air  or  way,  which,  above  all  else,  struck 
him  as  still  necessary  to  render  his  own  appear- 
ance that  of  a  regular  built  Jack  Tar. 

While  I  was  yet  watching  their  maneuvers,  one 
of  the  crowd,  hitching  up  his  pantaloons,  which 
threatened  every  moment  to  fall  down  over  his 
hips,  waddled  up  to  me,  and  adjusting  his  hat  as 
nearly  after  the  sailor  manner  as  he  was  able  to 
at  the  moment,  said  : 

"  I  say,  sir,  you're  a  sailor,  are  you  not?" 

"  That's  the  best  guess  you've  made  since  you 
cast  loose  from  your  mammy's  apron-strings, 
greeney,"  said  a  jolly  voice  at  my  back,  whose 
tones  seemed  somehow  very  familiar  to  my  ear. 

I  turned  quickly  in  its  direction,  but  had  scarce 
faced  the  speaker,  when  I  felt  myself  encircled 
in  two  huge  arms,  and  the  breath  nearly  squeezed 
out  of  my  body,  while  a  stentorian  voice  hallooed 
almost  in  my  ears,  "by  the  great  hook -block,  it's 
Charley." 

When  I  got  myself  out  of  the  bear -like  en-- 
brace  of  my  huge  friend,  I  found  that  he  was  an 
old  shipmate — a  topmate  during  the  greater  part 
of  a  three  years  cruise  in  a  man-of-war.  Of 
course,  our  meeting  was  deemed  a  fortunate  one 
by  both  of  us,  and  Bill  at  once  proposed  to  cele- 
brate it  by  a  glass  of  "  the  very  best  liquor  you 
ever  drank,  Charley." 


MEETING    A    SHIPMATE.  29 

t  persuaded  my  old  friend  to  postpone  the 
drinking,  and  we  locked  arms  and  took  a  "walk 
along  the  wharves,  during  which  we  talkec  over 
old  times ,  compared  notes  as  to  our  various  adven- 
tures since  we  had  parted,  some  three  years  before, 
and  I  finally  learnt  what  had  brought  him  to  New 
Bedford,  the  very  last  place  where  I  should  have 
expected  to  see  so  staunch  an  old  sailor  as  my 
former  topmate.  It  was  not  lack  of  funds,  as  1 
had  at  first  imagined,  but  simply  a  caprice  of  the 
old  fellow,  who  had  been  a  whaleman  in  his  early 
youth,  and  had  now  a  notion  to  refresh  his  memo- 
ries of  auld  lang  syne  by  another  cruise. 

"Besides,"  said  he,  "you  know  I  can  never 
make  anything  in  a  merchantman,  and  the 
Service  is  too  strict  for  me ;  so  I  think  whaling 
is  perhaps  my  best  refuge.  It's  a  lazy  sort  of 
life,  and  if  one  chooses  aright,  he  need  suffer 
from  very  little  except  the  inevitable  blubber." 

Poor  fellow,  he  was  now  growing  old,  and  his 
gray  hairs  and  rheumatism  warned  him  to  choose 
for  himself  an  easy  berth.  So  he  had  come  down 
to  "Bedford"  with  the  hope  of  securing  a  place 
in  some  sperm  whaler,  as  boatsteerer. 

His  arrival  was  a  most  fortunate  circumstance 
for  me,  as  he  was  able  to  post  Tne  up  in  all  the 
mysteries  of  shipping,  as  well  as  give  me  much 
necessary  advice  concerning  the  kind  of  voyage 
I  ought  to  make  choice  of.  Bill  and  I  spent  the 
day  very  agreeably  together,  and  parted  at 


30  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

evemng,  with  the  determination  to  go  in  one  ship 
if  possible. 

The  presence  of  an  old  shipmate  made  my  stay 
in  ISTew  Bedford  much  pleasanter  than  it  would 
otherwise  have  been.  He  introduced  me  to  an 
outfitter  who  had  promised  to  get  him  a  ship,  and 
who  readily  engaged,  for  a  consideration,  to  per- 
form the  same  office  for  me.  He  informed  us, 
however,  that  there  was  not  the  slightest  hope 
that  we  two  would  be  able  to  go  in  the  same  ves- 
sel; "for,"  said  he,  "no  ship  owner  in  Bedford 
would  be  so  silly  as  to  take  two  such  old  salts  as 
you  in  his  vessel." 

And  here  I  may  as  well  explain  what  is  the 
particular  office  of  the  outfitters,  in  a  whaling  port. 
The  seventy -five  dollars  advance,  or  outfit,  which 
is  supposed  to  be  given  to  each  individual  who 
sails  before  the  mast  in  a  whaleship,  is  divided 
among  three  persons:  First,  the  shipper,  whose 
bill  is  for  forwarding  to  New  Bedford,  and  his 
price  for  obtaining  the  new  recruit  a  vessel ;  next, 
the  boarding  house  keeper,  for  boarding  ai>d 
lodging  during  his  stay  in  town  ;  and  thirdly  tne 
outfitter,  for  a  complete  stock  of  sea  clothes,  suf- 
ficient, were  they  of  excellent  quality  (which 
they  not  unfrequently  are),  to  last  a  careful  man 
two  years.  In  a  place  where  so  large  a  number 
of  men  are  sent  to  sea  annually,  the  business  of 
fitting  these  out  for  their  new  life  is,  of  course, 
of  considerable  importance.  The  outfitter* 


OUTFITTERS.  31 

give  employment  to  a  large  part  of  the  laboring 
community,  in  preparing  the  articles  which  they 
find  most  necessary  to  whalemen,  and  in  turn 
pockot  no  small  share  of  the  earnings  of  almost 
every  man  that  sails  out  of  the  port.  Not  only 
the  new  beginners  do  business  with  these  men, 
but  boatsteerers  and  mates  procure  their  outfits 
of  them,  (of  course  of  a  superior  quality),  and 
they  not  unfrequently  also  make  considerable 
advances  of  money  to  such  individuals  as  they 
think  trustworthy  and  sufliciently  smart  to  make 
a  good  voyage. 

The  New  Bedford  outfitters  are  faithfully  abused 
by  most  who  have  sailed  from  that  port  in  the 
capacity  of  greenhorns,  and  it  is  currently  believed 
that  their  roguery  knows  no  end.  But  as  a  class 
this  report  of  them  is  far  from  correct.  So  far  as 
I  ever  had  any  dealings  with  them,  they  seemed 
to  be  honest  enough.  But  it  must  be  confessed 
that  many  of  the  poor  fellows  who  make  their 
first  voyage  from  here,  offer  most  tempting  induce- 
ments to  traders,  to  cheat  them.  Their  ignorance 
is  so  glaring,  and  their  gullibility  so  vast,  that  1 
fancy  it  requires  a  stronger  virtue  than  dealers  in 
ready  made  clothing  are  commonly  possessed  of, 
to  withstand  these  combined  temptations.  If, 
therefore,  occasionally,  or  perhaps  oftener  than 
that,  a  greenhorn  is  sent  to  sea,  with  a  rag-fair 
outfit,  and  finds  his  calico  trowsers  melting  away 
before  the  salt  water,  his  dog's  hair  shirts  falling 


32  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

to  pieces,  his  boots  made  of  brown  paper,  Ms  hat 
of  the  same  material,  slightly  glazed,  and  his  pea- 
jacket,  "like  Jack  Straw's  house,  neither  wind' 
tight  nor  water-tight,"  I  opine  that  an  impartial 
consideration  of  all  the  circumstances  in  the  case 
would  lead  him  to  the  opinion  that  himself  was  at 
Jeast  partly  in  fault. 

Old  Bill  and  I  enjoyed  ourselves  finely,  for  a 
lew  days,  during  which  we  visited  nearly  every 
ship  in  the  harbor,  took  several  jaunts  to  Fair- 
haven,  a  village  directly  opposite  and  across  the 
river  from  New  Bedford,  where,  also,  numbers  of 
fine  whaleships  are  fitted  out,  and  acquainted  our- 
selves with  the  destination  and  general  character 
of  all  the  best  looking  vessels  in  both  ports. 

On  consideration,  I  had  determined  to  engage 
on  board  a  sperm  whaler.  By  doing  this  I  should 
escape  the  exposure  to  cold  weather  necessarily 
incident  to  the  pursuit  of  the  right  whale,  which 
is  found  in  the  higher  latitudes,  while  the  cachalot, 
or  sperm  whale,  is  sought  for  chiefly  within  the 
tropics.  Moreover,  all  the  right  whalers  at  that 
time  fitting  out,  were  bound  around  Cape  Horn, 
and  thither  I  had  already  been.  I  finally  settled 
on  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  the  Japan  cruising 
ground,  as  the  places  I  should  most  like  to  visit  in 
a  whaleship,  and  determined  to  look  out  foi  ao 
opportunity  to  go  in  that  direction. 

But  although  the  work  of  fitting  out  vessels 
was  going  on  unusually  briskly,  it  seemed  to  rat 


JOHNNY-COME-LATELY.  33 

that  "chances  to  ship"  were,  as  yet,  few  and  far 
between.  Occasionally,  when  we  could  learn  that 
a  captain  or  owner  was  about  to  ship  hands,  Bill 
and  I  would  present  ourselves  with  the  crowd, 
and  wait  patiently  to  be  chosen  or  left,  as  his 
high  mightiness  should  see  fit ;  and  1  must  own 
that  to  be  left  was  invariably  our  fate. 

We  rather  enjoyed  our  stay,  nevertheless,  as  we 
found  much  to  amuse  us,  particularly  in  watching 
the  maneuvers  of  the  new  hands.  The  salt  air 
seems  to  have  the  effect  of  increasing  their 
bumps  of  credulity  to  an  almost  incredible  size, 
and  they  "hoist  in",  without  difficulty,  stories  of 
whales,  or  of  sea  life  and  adventure,  which  would 
hardly  do  even  to  tell  to  the  "marines,"  those  old 
time  receptacles  for  all  that  requires  an  unusual 
amount  of  faith  in  the  believer. 

Most  astonishing  yarns  of  the  freaks  of  whales 
were  daily  spun  to  admiring  circles  of  the  verdant 
ones,  by  mischievous  boatsteerers,  who  became 
afterward,  in  the  eyes  of  their  unsophisticated 
listeners,  wrapped  about  with  such  a  halo  of  glory 
as  is  commonly  awarded  to  none  but  the  greatest 
heroes.  Moreover,  the  most  laughable  tricks 
were  continually  played  off  upon  the  ignorance 
of  the  new-comers.  "  Johnny-come-lately,"  is  the 
butt  for  everybody's  practical  jokes,  and  some- 
times has  his  unlimited  confidence  in  human 
nature  severely  shaken,  by  the  conduct  of  his  pre- 
tended friends. 


34  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

Boarding  a  vessel  on  the  Fairhaven  side  of  the 
river  one  day,  Bill  and  I  were  surprised  to  see 
upon  the  newly  painted  door  of  one  of  the  cabin 
state-rooms,  the  words  "Hezekiah  Ellsprett's 
berth,"  written  in  tolerably  conspicuous  letters, 
with  chalk.  The  following  day  the  joke  leaked 
out.  It  is  usual,  when  a  crew  has  been  shipped, 
for  them  to  hurry  on  board  their  vessel,  and  make 
choice  of  their  sleeping  berths,  the  earliest  comers 
securing  of  course  the  most  desirable  places. 

It  appeared  that  Hezekiah  had  gone  on  board 
his  ship  for  the  purpose  of  making  choice  of  a 
berth,  and  after  a  deliberate  scrutiny  of  the  prem- 
ises, fore  and  aft,  had  arrived  at  the  sage  conclu- 
sion, that  a  certain  state-room  contained  more  of 
the  elements  of  comfort,  than  any  other  place 
which  had  met  his  eye.  He  therefore  determined, 
after  weighing  all  chances,  that  he  would  make 
choice  of  this  room,  as  his. 

It  is  but  justice  to  say  that  a  faint  glimmer  of 
doubt  as  to  the  tenableness  of  his  position  did 
invade  his  cranium ;  but  on  making  inquiry  of  the 
ship-keeper,  that  worthy  assured  him  that  he  had 
an  indisputable  right  to  choose  whatever  berth 
suited  him  best — and  advised  him  for  further  se- 
curity to  write  his  name  upon  the  door,  and  place 
his  bedding  in  the  bunk  or  standing  bed-place — 
which  he  immediately  did. 

One  can  imagine  the  Captain's  surprise,  on  com- 
ing on  board  next  day,  to  find  himself  a  trespasser 


OUTWITTING     1    SHIP    OWNER  35 

ID  his  own  domain.  But  words  would  fail  to  des- 
cribe the  unaffected  look  of  astonishment  dis- 
played in  Hezekiah's  sapient  countenance,  when 
he  was  informed  that  that  was  "  not  his  end  of 
the  ship." 

The  tricks  were  not  all  played  upon  the  new 
comers,  however,  as  the  mannei  in  which  my  old 
friend  Bill,  shipped,  sufficiently  evinced.  I  had 
been  in  town  nearly  two  weeks,  when  my  worthy 
ship-mate  met  me  one  morning,  and  informed  me 
that  there  was  a  chance  that  day,  of  which  he  in- 
tended to  avail  himself.  A  little  barque,  fitted  for 
a  short  cruise  in  the  South  Atlantic,  was  about  to 
ship  hands,  and  in  her,  Bill  had  determined  to  se- 
cure a  berth.  Accordingly  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M., 
the  hour  previously  specified,  a  large  number  of 
•'  hands  "  betook  themselves  to  the  office  of  the 
owner,  located  on  one  of  the  wharves.  Here,  at 
one  end  of  a  large  room,  on  a  raised  platform,  sat 
a  portly,  cross-looking  gentleman,  whose  self- 
satisfied  and  important  air  sufficiently  proclaimed 
that  he  was  full  well  aware  of  the  power  he  was 
that  day  to  exercise,  as  well  as  of  the  importance 
of  bringing  all  his  perceptive  faculties  to  bear  up- 
on the  matter  in.  hand,  in  order  that  he  might 
make  a  fortunate  selection  of  men.  There  was 
that  in  the  gentleman's  eye  which  told  plain  as 
eye  can  tell,  that  he  was  not  on  this  occasion  to 
be  taken  in. 

Up  to  this  worthy's  chair  of  state  my  poor 
friend  was  ushered,  by  the  shipping-master,  whc 


36  WHALING    AND     FISHNG. 

had  determined  to  secure  him  a  berth  that  day — 
by  hook  or  crook. 

';  Is  this  the  man  you  mentioned  to  me,  Mr 
Jones  ?"  asked  the  owner. 

"  Yes  sir,  and  a  most  excellent  fellow  you'll  find 
him,  sir — a  good  whale 
man  and  a  quiet  fellow." 
"  Please  go  out  my  man 
please  go  out — you  are  too 
old  a  salt  for  me;  I  would  'nt 
allow  you  to  pay  your  pas- 
sage in  a  vessel  of  mine," 
was  the  owner's  answer, 
after  closely  scrutinizing 
poor  Bill  for  the  space  of 
two  or  three  minutes. 

"  Mr.  Jones,  I'm  aston 
ished  that  you  can  think 
of  offering  me  such  a  man 
— why  he's  a  regular  mer- 
chant sailor,  if  my  eye 
knows  anything  concern- 
ing the  bearings  of  those 
vagabond  fellows." 

Mr.  Jones  looked  crestfallen  ;  seeing  which,  the 
added,  "  I  promised  to  ship  one  of  your 
men,  and  will  keep  a  place  vacant  for  one  if  you 
ean  bring  me  down  somebody  that  will  suit." 

A  bright  flash  from  Mr.  Jones'  eyes  would 
have  told  a  close  observer  that  a  fortunate  idea  had 
in  part  relieved  him  of  his  embarrassment.  With 


A     TRANSFORMATION.  37 

nimble  steps  he  hurried  from  the  hall,  and  over- 
taking Bill  and  myself,  on  our  way  to  the  office, 
whispered  something  in  the  former's  ear. 

"  By  the  great  hook -block,  I'll  do  it,"  said  Bill, 
after  a  moment's  consideration,  and  catching  my 
arm  he  rushed  into  a  barber 
Bhop,  closely  followed  by  the 
shipper. 

"  Take  off  my  whiskers  as 
quick  as  you  can,  Yankee 
John,"  said  Bill  to  the  Por- 
tuguese barber,  while  Mr. 
Jones  added  "and  a  good 
portion  of  his  hair  too,  my 
man."  In  a  very  few  minutes 
Bill's  face  was  denuded  of  an 
enormous  pair  of  whiskers, 
his  long  flowing  locks  were 
trimmed  closely  all  round, 
and  looking  in  the  glass  he 
swore  he  hardly  knew  him- 
self. 

"  Now  come  up  to  the 
store." 

Arrived  there,  Mr.  Jones  produced  a  pair  of  pan- 
taloons of  yellow  and  light  blue  crossbarred  stuff, 
a  shirt  which  had  evidently  already  been  ii 
contact  with  whale  oil,  and  one  of  those  abomin 
able  hats,  whi;h,  as  Bill  said,  "would  make  ojd 
Jimmy  Square-foot  himself  look  like  a 
horn." 


48  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

After  donning  this  suit,  I  was  myself,  almost 
tempted  to  doubt  the  identity  of  my  shipmate. 

All  the  gay,  careless  swagger  of  the  sailor  was 
gone,  and  he  looked  as  much  like  a  veritable  clod- 
hopper, as  though  this  had  been  his  first  intro- 
duction to  salt  water. 

"  Come  along  now — no  time  to  lose,"  said  Mr. 
Jones — and  he  and  Bill  hurried  off  to  make  an- 
other attempt  upon  the  wide-awake  owner;  I  re- 
maining at  the  store,  for  fear  of  compromising  by 
my  presence,  the  success  of  Bill's  plans. 

Arrived  at  the  office,  they  found  nearly  all  the 
former  crowd  gone — and  the  owner  sitting  upon 
the  platform,  complacently  looking  over  some 
accounts. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Jones,  this  is  your  man,  I  presume?" 

"  Yes,  sir — I  think  you'll  like  him  better." 

"  He  has  not  been  at  sea  at  all,  I  fear,  Mr. 
Jones,  and  we  wanted  some  one  that  would  be  of 
a  little  help." 

"  He  has  made  a  short  trip  in  a  Provincetown 
whaling  schooner,  and  I  think  captain  Mayhew 
will  find  him  a  handy  fellow — although  to  be  sure 
he  looks  rather  green." 

"  How  long  were  you  out  my  man  ?  " 

"  Six  months,  sir." 

"Do  you  drink?" 

"No  sir." 

"Do  you  think  you  could  strike  a  wnale? 

"  Yes  sir,  if  they  will  give  me  a  chance." 

"  That's  the  talk ;  chance  you  shall  have.    I'll 


BILLISSHIPPED.  39 

ship  you — give  you  a  seaman's  lay,  and  if  there  is 
a  vacancy  among  the  boatsteerers  during  the 
cruise,  you  shall  have  it,  provided  you  are  smart." 
Expressing  himself  highly  satisfied  with  this, 
Bill  signed  his  name  to  the  articles — as  Ezekiel 
Nickerson — and  hastened  from  the  presence  of  the 
shipper,  who  felt  highly  elated  at  securing  so  elig- 
ible an  individual — little  thinking  that  scarce 
half  an  hour  before  he  had  sent  him  from  his 
office.  Said  Bill  when  he  came  back  "  so  good  a 
joke  as  that  ought  to  be  washed  down  with  some 
brandy" — and  accordingly  he  got  tipsy  in  honor 
of  the  event. 


40  WHAJING    AND    FISHING 


CHAPTER  III, 

THE  Sag  Harbor  Whaleman — Shipped  at  Last — Arrangement 
of  a  Whaleship's  Decks — The  Try  Works— The  Boats — The 
Lower  Deck — Sailing  Day — Our  Crew— Sea-Sickness — Train- 
ing the  Greenhorns — Labors  of  an  Outward  Bound  Whale- 
man — Drudgery. 

IT  was  on  the  third  day  after  the  shipment  of 
my  old  friend,  that  my  turn  at  length  came.  I 
had  begun  to  despair  of  getting  a  ship — not  hav- 
ing the  resources  at  my  command  by  which  mj 
friend  had  circumvented  the  owner;  but  the  ship- 
pers  desired  me  to  wait  some  few  days  longer,  as 
a  chance  would  soon  turn  up.  Accordingly,  one 
morning  I  was  desired  to  step  down  on  board  a 
Sag  Harbor  ship,  which  had  just  come  up  for  the 
purpose  of  engaging  a  crew,  and  completing  her 
outfit. 

I  was  the  bearer  of  a  note  to  the  captain ;  who, 
having  read  it,  looked  at  me  a  few  moments,  and 
then  asked : 

"Have  you  ever  been  whaling?" 

"No  sir." 

"How  long  have  you  been  at  sea?" 

I  mentioned  the  number  of  years. 

"  Do  you  intend  to  run  away  at  the  first  port 
we  make  ?'' 


THE    LAY.  41 

I  answered  that  such  was  not  my  intention  at 
that  time. 

"Well,"  said  he,  finally,  "I  think  I'll  ship  you; 
I  can  give  you  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-  fifth 
lay,  whi(w  is  a  better  lay  than  we  generally  give 
men,  and  if  you  behave  yourself  I'll  take  care 
that  you  are  advanced  as  fast  as  you  yourself  car. 
desire." 

Having  declared  my  readiness  to  "sign  the 
articles"  there  and  then,  we  stepped  into  the  cabin, 
where  the  contract  was  ratified,  and  I  engaged  to 
go  upon  a  voyage  "to  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  such 
other  seas  and  oceans  as  the  captain  might  see  fit 
to  visit,  in  pursuit  of  his  business  of  taking  whales," 
etc.,  etc.;  the  voyage  to  be  not  completed  until 
the  return  of  the  ship  to  a  regular  port  of  dis- 
charge in  the  United  States. 

Whalemen  do  not  work  for  wages — but  for  a 
proportionate  share  in  the  proceeds  of  the  com- 
mon voyage.  This  share  is  called  each  man's  lay, 
and  varies  greatly,  according  as  a  hand  is  more 
or  less  active  and  experienced.  Thus,  while  my 
lay  was  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-fifth,  (mean- 
ing that  my  share  in  the  gross  proceeds  of  the 
voyage  was  at  the  rate  of  one  barrel  in  every  one 
hundred  and  twenty -five),  the  lay  of  the  green 
hands  ranged  from  the  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
fifth  to  the  two  hundredth,  giving  them  only  at 
the  rate  of  one  barrel  for  every  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  or  two  hundred.  Boatsteerers,  mates, 
and  even  captains,  sail  "on  a  lay;"  receiving,  as  a 


42  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

matter  of  course,  shares  proportionate  to  their 
experience  and  the  importance  of  their  duties. 

Having  signed  the  articles,  I  received  a  note 
from  the  captain  to  the  shipper,  to  that  effect,  j*od 
svas  informed  that  the  ship  would  sail  041  the  next 
day  but  one,  and  that  it  was  desirable  I  should 
render  myself  and  luggage  on  board  on  the  even- 
ing previous. 

The  first  matter  which  claimed  my  attentior 
after  returning  to  the  shore,  was  the  procuring 
of  an  outfit  of  clothing  and  other  necessaries  for 
the  voyage.  As  before  mentioned,  on  shipping  in 
a  whaler  each  man  receives  credit  from  the 
owners,  for  an  amount  sufficient  to  provide  him 
with  a  certain  necessary  quantity  of  clothing,  and 
to  pay  the  bills  for  board  and  shipper's  charges, 
which  he  has  contracted  while  waiting  for  the 
vessel.  Of  clothing  I  needed  but  little,  as  my 
chest  was  well  supplied.  I  took,  however,  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  blue  dungaree  (cotton  drilling)  of 
which  I  designed  to  make  up  my  own  clothes  for 
warm  weather,  when  we  should  have  gotten  to 
sea.  A  number  of  pounds  of  chewing  tobacco 
and  half  a  bolt  of  coarse  calico,  to  trade  among 
the  natives,  completed  the  items  on  my  outfitter's 
I  11. 

This  and  other  bills  rendered,  and  signed  by 
me,  I  betook  myself  on  board,  with  chest  and 
hammock,  determined,  as  our  voyage  was  to  be  a 
long  one,  to  secure  as  good  a  berth  as  possible  in 
the  forecastle.  This  I  succe3ded  in  doing,  being, 


A    WHALER'S    DECKS.  43 

with  the  exception  of  two  men  who  had  come  in 
the  vessel  from  Sag  Harbor,  the  first  on  board. 

The  forecastle  was  a  large,  roomy  place,  dis- 
playing the  usual  two  tiers  of  berths  on  each  side, 
and  a  locker  at  the  bow,  where  could  be  stowed 
pots,  pans,  spoons,  and  other  table  utensils.  The 
floor  was  encumbered  with  cleats,  used  by  those 
who  had  last  occupied  the  place,  to  fasten  their 
c.hests.  There  was  a  disagreeable  smell  of  train 
oil,  and  other  sea  abominations,  pervading  all—- 
but to  smells  of  this  kind  my  olfactories  had  long 
been  accustomed,  and  they  were  therefore  of  no 
jonsequence  to  me. 

After  securing  my  berth,  and  lashing  my  chest 
in  its  place,  I  proceeded  on  deck  to  make  a  more 
minute  examination  of  the  vessel  which  was  to 
be  my  home,  in  all  probability,  for  some  years. 
The  decks  of  a  whaleship  are  fitted  up  in  a 
manner  greatly  different  from  those  of  a  mer- 
chant vessel.  Amidships,  where  the  merchant- 
man stows  his  longboat  and  spare  spars,  are  the 
try -works — a  frame  built  up  of  brick,  with  two, 
and  sometimes  three,  large  iron  pots  placed  in  the 
middle,  beneath  which  is  the  furnace  or  fireplace. 
Stout  iron  knees,  bolted  to  the  deck,  keep  this 
mass  of  brick  and  mortar  in  its  place.  Over  all 
is  a  large  wooden  cover  to  keep  out  the  rain. 

The  deck  is  sheathed  fore  and  aft  with  thin 
pine  lumber,  to  save  the  main  planks  from  injury 
which  nvist  otherwise  be  done  them,  by  the  cut- 
ting and  hacking  of  blubber,  and  the  rolling  of 


44  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

oil  casks,  incident  to  trying  out  and  stowing 
down  a  whale.  A  portion  of  the  starboard  side, 
the  waist,  as  it  is  technically  called,  is  also  thickly 
sheathed,  as  it  is  here  that  the  blubber  is  taken 
in  from  the  whale  along  side.  The  bulwark,  or 
rail,  at  this  portion  of  the  side  is  moveable,  and 
can  be  taken  out  entirely,  which  is  done  when 
"cutting  in." 

On  the  starboard  side  a  whaleship  carries  but 
one  boat — the  cranes  for  which  are  hung  upon 
the  quarter.  As  ours  was  a  four  boat  ship,  we 
had  the  remaining  three  upon  the  larboard  side, 
occupying  a  space  there  from  the  quarter  to  the 
forerigging.  It  is  a  matter  of  much  difficulty,  at 
sea,  while  a  vessel  is  under  sail,  to  lower  a  stern 
boat,  for  which  reason  whalemen  never  carry  a 
boat  on  stern-davits,  as  merchant  vessels  are 
accustomed  to  do. 

Two  spare  boats,  stowed  overhead,  between  the 
main  and  mizzen  masts,  and  thus  making  a  good 
shelter  on  the  quarter  deck  during  rainy  weather, 
completed  the  fitting  of  the  decks. 

Aloft  our  ship  differed  but  little  from  most  other 
vessels  of  her  size — the  little  top-gallant-cross- 
jrees,  the  stations  for  look-out  men,  being  the  only 
peculiarity  which  would  bespeak  her  business  to 
a  sailor. 

The  lower  deck  was  divided  off  into  :  forecastle, 
where  the  crew  live;  forehold,  a  place  where  all 
spare  rigging,  hawsers,  and  cutting-in  gear  are 
stowed,  as  also  spare  lumber  for  repairing  boats, 


A     WHALESHIP'S    HOLD.  45 

and  a  large  assortment  of  spare  oars,  any  vacant 
space  left  being  filled  with  oil  casks ;  the  blubber 
room,  a  large  space,  just  below  the  main  hatchway, 
into  which  the  blanket  pieces,  just  taken  from  the 
>vhale,  are  lowered,  there  to  be  cut  up  by  the 
Dlubber-room  men,  into  horse  pieces;  and  lastly, 
the  steerage — where  the  boatsteerers  and  cooper 
have  their  place  of  abode. 

The  hold  is  filled  with  oil  casks,  most  of  the 
lower  tier  of  which  are  at  the  commencement  of 
the  cruise  filled  with  water,  while  in  the  upper 
tier  are  contained  the  bread,  beef  and  provisions, 
as  well  as  sails,  dry  goods  for  trade  with  the  na- 
tives, and  all  ships  stores  whatever,  everything 
being  stowed  away  in  casks  to  economise  space, 
and  get  on  board  as  many  of  the  latter  as  possible.  A 
forty  gallon  cask  of  Epsom  salts — medicine  for  the 
sailors  —  figured  conspicuously  among  the  stores. 

It  was  on  a  fine  morning  in  June,  that  we  sailed. 
The  crew  had  been  all  gathered  on  board  the  pre- 
ceding afternoon,  and  the  vessel  hauled  into  the 
lower  bay,  ready  for  a  fair  start ;  and  now  having 
bidden  good-by  to  all  friends  and  acquaintances, 
we  weighed  anchor  and  set  sail,  taking  a  last,  and 
I  must  confess,  with  me  rather  sorrowful  look  at 
the  beauteous  verdant  shores  of  America,  which 
<vt,  were  now  leaving  for  an  absence  of  not  lesg 
loan  three,  and  perhaps  over  four  years.  I  was 
embarking  on  a  voyage  with  the  nature  and  du- 
ties of  which  I  was  but  slightly  acquainted,  and 
although  bound  for  a  part  of  fhe  world  which  I  had 


46  WHALING    ANI     TliJHING. 

not  before  visited,  and  animal  od  with  all  of  a  Bailor's 
happy  carelessness  and  desire  for  novelty,  the 
thought  that  I  had  engaged  myself  for  so  long  a 
time,  troubled  me.  But  "  sufficient  for  tlie  day  is 
the  evil  thereof,"  is  a  maxim  upon  which  the 
sailor,  more  than  perhaps  any  one  else,  acts, 
throughout  life,  and  in  accordance  therewith,  I 
drove  away  the  clouds  gathering  over  my  thoughts 
as  I  contemplated  the  blue  hills,  every  moment 
growing  paler  in  the  distance,  and  enjoyed  the 
glorious  sunshine,  and  fresh,  pure  breeze  of  one 
of  the  finest  days  in  summer. 

Our  crew,  now  that  one  could  see  them  all  to- 
gether, formed  a  motley  set.  A  four  boat 
ship  carries  generally  twenty -three  or  twenty -four 
hands,  in  the  forecastle,  a  cooper,  cook,  four  boat- 
steerers,  ship-keeper,  steward  three  mates  and  cap- 
tain ;  making  in  all  thirty-six  men.  The  captain, 
two  mates,  and  three  of  the  boatsteerers  were 
Americans.  The  third  mate,  and  one  of  the  boat- 
steerers were  Portuguese,  natives  of  Fayal,  as 
were  also  four  of  our  crew.  A  great  many  of 
these  Western  Island  Portuguese  are  found  in 
American  whaleships,  where  they  are  much  liked, 
being  very  quiet,  sober  men,  and  generally  good 
wnalemen.  The  rest  of  the  crew  I  find  enumer- 
ated in  my  log,  as  follows  :  two  lawyer's  clerks., 
one  professional  gambler,  one  runaway  from  his 
father's  counting  house  in  New  York,  (this  was 
also  an  amateur  gambler),  one  New  York  "  butcher- 
boy  " — his  name  w&sMose — six  factory  hands,  from 


OUECREW.  47 

some  small  New  England  towns,  one  Boston  school 
boy, one  canal-boat  man,  six  farm  boys  —  from 
various  parts  of  New  England,  and  western  New 
York, — the  four  Portuguese  before  mentioned,  who 
were  whalemen,  and  the  writer  hereof,  who  wrote 
himself  seawom. 

Of  the  four  professional  men,  as  they  called 
themselves,  all,  including  the  gambler,  were  the 
possessors  of  a  tolerable  education,  and  a  fair 
share  of  general  information.  As  for  the  rest, 
leaving  out  the  school  boy,  who  knew  everything, 
and  was  therefore  unbearable,  they  were  as 
wretchedly  ignorant  a  set  as  ever  I  met.  But  one 
of  the  factory  hands  could  read,  with  any  degree 
of  ease,  and  he  was  if  anything,  more  stupid  than 
his  fellow  laborers.  As  for  the  farmer  boys — they 
possessed  the  latent  elements  of  smartness,  but 
were  unfortunately  so  largely  endued  with  ere. 
dulity  as  to  be  the  victims  of  never-failing  prac- 
tical jokes. 

We  sailed  with  a  fine  and  favoring  top-gallant 
breeze,  and  long  before  night  were  well  clear  of 
the  land,  and  making  a  straight  wake  for  Fayal, 
which,  to  the  great  joy  of  our  Portuguese  ship- 
mates,  was  to  be  our  first  port.  As  the  sun  sank 
below  the  horizon,  the  breeze  freshened  and  the 
4well  increased,  so  that  by  the  time  the  first  watch 
commenced,  at  eight  o'clock,  the  top-gallant  sails 
were  taken  in — by  the  few  hands  who  had  been 
at  sea  before — the  green  hands  wisely  declining  tc 


48  WHALING    AND    PISHING 

hazard   so  dangerous  an  undertaking  as  "  going 
aloft  in  the  dark." 

"Your  time  will  come  soon— only  wait,  my 
lads,"  said  the  mate. 

During  the  night  we  had  what  would  hav« 
been  for  a  merchant  vessel  a  stiff  top -gall  an 
breeze.  We  were,  however,  reefed  down,  as  f 
matter  of  prudence,  not  knowing  how  hard  it 
might  come  on  to  blow,  and  having  but  few  hands 
to  depend  upon.  The  green  hands  were  upon 
their  beam  ends  in  all  the  horrors  of  seasickness, 
alternately  vomiting,  and  praying  for  deliverance 
from  what  they  imagined  to  be  a  most  unprece- 
dented gale.  All  their  bright  anticipations  of 
the  pleasures  of  a  sailor's  life  were  vanished,  and 
they  wished  for  nothing  so  much  as  "  home." 

But  the  night  came  to  an  end.  as  all  nights  mui^, 
do,  and  the  sun  rising  bright  and  glorious  from 
the  sea,  scattered  the  storm-clouds,  and  made  our 
verdant  friends  more  cheerful.  "Wan  and  dis- 
spirited  they  came  upon  deck,  and  laid  themselves 
down  in  the  cheering  sun,  looking  and  feeling  as 
though  just  recovered  from  a  severe  illness. 

It  is  notorious  that  seasickness  is  a  weakness 
for  which,  as  no  one  was  ever  known  to  die  of  it, 
no  non-sufferer  feels  aught  but  contempt.  Little 
of  tho  pity  and  kindness,  therefore,  which  they 
felt  to  be  their  due,  did  our  sick  men  receive.  A 
gruff  "  get  out  of  the  way,  greeny,"  from  the  mate 
as  he  stumbled  over  a  form  prostrate  in  the  gang- 


THE    WAY     TO    MAKE    SAILORS.  48 

wny — or  a  threat  to  send  some  of  them  aleit, 
"  with  a  rope's  end  after  them,  to  expedite  them 
on  their  passage,"  made  thei*  misery  soin- 
plete. 

As  the  wind  died  av/ay  however,  and  the  sea 
calmed  down,  they  recovered  to  some  extent,  and 
made  the  best  of  their  way  down  below  again, 
where  they  almost  without  exception  kept  their 
berths  for  a  couple  of  days,  declaring  that  even  to 
look  up  at  the  masts  swinging  about,  with  the 
motion  of  the  ship,  made  them  dizzy  and  deathly 
sick. 

"  As  for  getting  up  there,"  said  one,  pointing  to 
the  masthead,  and  speaking  with  great  earnest- 
ness, "  that  is  entirely  out  of  the  question ;  I  am 
not  fool  enough  to  try  it." 

With  what  dismay,  therefore,  did  they  hear,  on 
the  third  day  out,  the  word  passed  below,  for  all 
the  green  hands  to  come  on  deck,  to  practice  run- 
ning up  the  rigging.  With  doleful  groans,  and 
dolorous  countenances  they  most  solemnly  asserted 
the  utter  impossibility  of  such  an  undertaking  on 
their  part,  and  the  certainty  of  their  falling  before 
they  got  six  feet  above  deck. 

"  There's  no  such  word  as  can't,  at  sea,"  was 
the  mate's  reply,  as  he  apportioned  them,  a  certain 
number  to  take  each  rigging,  and  then,  making 
some  show  of  a  stout  rope's  end,  ordered  them  to 
start. 

"  How  far  up  must  we  go  ?  "  asked  one  with  gr  eat 
'nterest,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  puling 
4 


50  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

off  the  evil  hour,  if  only  for  a  minute  more,  by 
asking  questions. 

"  Go  ahead,  I'll  tell  you  when  to  stop.11 

Paler  than  so  many  ghosts,  they  mount  the 
rigging,  now  taking  a  step,  then  taking  the 
shrouds  in  their  close  embrace,  now  glancing  aloft, 
or  around  with  looks  of  terror  and  dismay,  anon 
looking  piteously  down  at  the  mate,  who,  hard- 
hearted fellow,  answers  them  with  a  "  now  then, 
are  you  fellows  going  to  stick  there?" 

"I'm  afraid  I  shan't,  sir,"  answered  one,  giving 
vent  to  a  joke  in  his  desperation.  But  a  boat- 
steerer  in  each  rigging,  with  a  rope's  end,  soon 
started  them  on  their  upward  journey,  and  having 
gotten  up  as  high  as  the  top,  they  were  allowed 
to  come  down,  a  proceeding  about  which  they 
went  as  circumspectly  as  though  on  every  step 
depended  a  life.  Great  was  their  relief  when  they 
once  more  found  themselves  on  deck. 

After  a  week  of  such  practice,  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  crew  were  able  to  take  their  turn  at 
the  masthead  to  look  out,  doing  but  little  good 
there  however,  as  they  were  not  yet  fairly  re- 
covered from  their  sickness. 

Three  of  our  country  boys  remained  seasick, 
until  by  dint  of  neither  eating  nor  taking  exer- 
cise, they  were  too  weak  any  longer  to  come  upon 
deck.  They  spent  the  days  in  watching  the 
motions  of  the  vessel,  and  the  nights  in  groan- 
ing an  i  bewailing  their  hard  fate — continually 
wishing  themselves  back  to  the  homes  they  had 


THE  CAPTAIN  IS  ASKED  FOR  PIE.  51 

so  gladly  quitted.  To  one  of  these  came  one  eve- 
ning a  boatsteerer,  and  after  condoling  with  him 
upon  hia  miserable  condition,  asked  him  what  he 
lhougv  '.  he  would  like  best  to  eat  just  then. 

"  The  sight  and  smell  of  the* food  they  have  OL 
the  ship  make  me  sick,"  was  the  answer.  "If  1 
only  had  some  nice  milk,  and  some  pie,  such  as 
my  mother  used  to  make,  I  should  be  well  very 
soon." 

"  Pie! "  exclaimed  the  boatsteerer,  "  as  I  live,  I 
am  glad  you  mentioned  the  word.  There's  a 
whole  cask  of  pies  down  below,  which  was  sent 
aboard  by  the  owner,  on  purpose  for  the  sick 
ones." 

"  Suppose  I  were  to  ask  the  captain  to  hoist  it 
up,  and  give  me  some  ?  "  suggested  the  sick  man, 
eagerly. 

"  You  could  not  do  a  better  thing." 

"  I'll  go  to  him  immediately — he  seems  to  be  a 
kind  man  and  I  will  tell  him  how  badly  I  feel." 
Accordingly  he  dragged  himself  slowly  aft,  and 
there  meeting  the  captain,  stated  the  case  to  him, 
and  ended  with  a  request  that  some  of  the  pie 
might  be  given  him,  as  he  felt  convinced  that  he 
would  soon  recover  on  such  diet. 

The  captain,  smiling  grimly,  explained  to  him 
that  some  unfeeling  wretch  had  been  trifling 
with  him,  and  that  pie  was  an  impossibilty  at 
sea. 

Heartsick,  poor  Joe  returned  to  his  bunk;  but  at 
dinner,  the  cook  brought  him  a  small  pie  from 


52  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

the  captain's  table,  that  worthy  having  taken  pitj 
on  the  poor  fellow's  deranged  stomach  and  simple 
mind, 

.Multitudes  of  such  practical  jokes  are  pfayed 
off  upon  the  uninitiated,  and  many  a  hearty  laubfh 
ai  their  expense  enlivens  the  first  part  of  a  whale- 
ship's  cruise.  Their  faith  is  boundless,  and  there 
is  scarcely  anything  too-  absurd  or  impossible  for 
some  of  the  more  ignorant.  Singularly  enough, 
the  young  man  who  asked  the  captain  to  broacn 
a  cask  of  pies  for  his  benefit,  subsequently  be- 
came one  of  the  smartest  of  our  hands. 

There  is  nothing  the  inexperienced  on  board  find 
it  so  difficult  to  grow  accustomed  to  as  the  differ- 
ence in  rank,  and  consequent  difference  in  physi- 
cal comforts,  which  prevail  on  ship  board.  Why 
the  captain  and  his  three  mates  should  have  note 
space  allotted  to  them,  than  twenty  sailors,  or 
foremast  hands  ;  or  upon  what  principle  of  right 
or  justice  the  officers  shall  dine  upon  delicacies, 
while  foremast  Jack  soaks  his  hard  biscuit  in  a 
lecoction  of  oak  leaves,  sweetened  with  molasses, 
which  goes  by  the  name  of  tea;  or  how,  under  a 
republican  flag,  the  captain  can  order  them  off 
ihe  quarter  deck,  the  pleasantest  portion  of  the 
vr.asel,  and  point  to  the  wretched  hole  forward 
)f  the  windlass,  as  their  appropriate  "  sphere  " — all 
this,  and  much  else,  the  unsophisticated  country- 
man, brought  up  in  the  belief  that  "  one  man  is  as 
good  as  another,"  can  never  properly  understand, 
although  he  is  obliged  to  submit. 


TRAINING     1  J  E     NEW      1AND8.  63 

As  one  of  our  "professional  me.i"  said  one  day, 
in  arguing  upon  the  justice  of  such  conduct — "It 
is  not  Democratic." 

But  to  submit — to  obey  orders,  instantly  and 
unthinkingly — is  one  of  the  first  principles  incul- 
cated into  the  embryo  sailor,  heie  as  well  as  iu 
other  classes  of  vessels.  It  is  the  great  secret  of 
success  in  all  maneuvers  at  sea,  and  perfection  in 
the  training  it  imparts  is  especially  necessary  on  a 
whaling  cruise,  where,  in  sudden  emergencies,  it 
is  often  required  that  the  mind  of  one  man  should 
have  perfect  control  over  the  will  and  strength  of 
many. 

Meantime  the  training  went  on  :  the  daily  prac- 
tice of  running  aloft,  speedily  making  even  those 
who  were  at  first  most  timid,  laugh  at  their  former 
fears.  But  now  another  difficulty  was  to  be  gotten 
over  -.  The  names  of  the  various  portions  of  the 
rigging  were  to  be  learned.  This  seemed  one  of 
the  most  insurmountable  obstacles  to  the  acquisi  • 
tion  of  sailorship. 

Landsmen  persistently  adhere  to  a  literal  inter- 
pretation of  the  names  given  to  various  parts  of  a 
ship's  rigging  and  masts.  Thus  by  top  they 
understand  the  mast  head,  whereas  it  is  21  place 
not  half  so  high.  They  look  for  a  head,  and  find 
only  a  few^ough  boards;  they  are  told  of  stays  arid 
see  only  great  ropes;  they  hear  of  yanh  but  find 
them  pendant  from  aloft,  "like  the  hanging  garder«f 
of  Semiramis,"  said  our  school-boy. 


64  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  to  famil 
iarize  themselves  with  the  ropes  and  practice 
running  aloft  were  the  only  employments  of  the 
hands.  On  the  second  day  after  leaving  port,  the 
regular  routine  of  labor  of  an  outward  bound 
whaleman  was  begun.  All  hands  were  kept  at 
work,  hard  and  incessantly,  for  the  first  five 
months,  preparing  the  vessel  for  the  whaling 
ground.  It  is  a  rule  in  the  whaling  service  to  have 
no  work  of  any  kind,  other  than  is  absolutely 
necessary,  going  on  while  the  vessel  is  upon  the 
whaling  ground.  All  is  therefore  prepared  before- 
hand, on  the  outward  passage. 

With  us  the  entire  rigging  was  overhauled  and 
refitted;  the  hold  in  part  restowed;  boats  fitted  with 
all  the  conveniences  which  experience  has  taught 
the  whaleman  to  provide;  irons  and  lances  sharp- 
ened and  set  in  their  handles,  lines  stretched  and 
coiled  down ;  line  tubs  nicely  fitted ;  lance  and  iron 
sheaths  carved  or  put  together,  mats  for  rowlocks 
made,  and  all  the  thousand  other  small  matters 
attended  to,  which  go  to  make  up  the  outfit  of  a 
whaleship  and  her  boats.  These  labors  employed 
the  crew  from  daylight  till  dark,  six  days  in  the 
week,  and  right  glad  were  we  when  the  tall  Peak 
of  Pico  hove  in  sight,  and  amid  the  excitement  of 
nearing  the  land,  the  severe  and  constant  drudg- 
ery of  refitting  was  for  a  few  days  laid  aside. 

By  this  time — we  had  a  three  weeks  passage 
thither — our  green  hands  were,  in  their  own  estima- 


GREENHANDS.  5b 

fcioii  grown  to  be  staunch  and  fearless  sailors:  they 
could  swear  horribly;  they  chewed  tobacco,  to  a 
man;  they  talked  loudly  of  their  powers  to  with 
stand  the  effects  of  liquor  —  to  have  listened  tG 
them,  one  would  have  thought  each  one  of  them 
had  been  bred  and  born  in  a  grog-shop.  They 
could,  to  be  sure,  tell  no  tough  yarns  of  their  past 
experience,  but  they  made  up  abundantly  for  this 
by  their  boastings  of  what  they  contemplated  in 
the  future.  In  short,  they  were  all — with  two 
honorable  exceptions — a  most  disgusting  set ;  who 
thought  that  in  coming  on  board  ship,  as  they  re- 
lieved themselves  in  a  great  measure  from  the 
restraints  of  civilized  life,  they  were  warranted  in 
launching  out  into  every  vice  that  brutalizes  man, 


56  WHALING     AND     F  I  S  H  I  N 


CHAPTER  IV 

LAND  Ho!  -  -Fayal — Anxiety  of  all  hands   to  get  ashore— Pa* 
tuguese — Their  resignation — Fruit — We  continue  the  voy 
age — Fitting  the  vessel  for  her  cruise — Drilling  the  cren 
in  the  boats — The    line — Chasing    Blackfish  — Provisiooe- 
Cooks. 

AT  length  the  summits  of  the  Azores  heaved 
out  of  the  water,  in  the  blue  distance.  Land  ho! 
was  a  cry  joyful  to  all,  but  particularly  to  those 
who  were  now  making  their  first  trip.  I  do  not 
know  of  a  more  pleasing  sensation  than  that  which 
animates  one  on  for  the  first  time  beholding  a 
strange  coast — supposing  that  coast  to  be  invested 
with  some  interest  in  the  mind  of  the  beholder, 
and  that  it  is  seen  in  fine  weather.  Both  these 
conditions  were  fulfilled  in  tLe  present  case. 

Our  Portuguese  shipmates  had  for  the  past  week 
spoken  of  scarcely  anything  else  but  Fayal,  the 
Peak  of  Pico,  and  the  various  islands  which  com- 
pose the  group  called  the  Azores ;  praising  above 
all,  the  fruitfulness  of  the  soil,  the  genial  cli- 
njate,  and  the  quiet  innocence  of  the  people.  Tho 
weather  was  lovely,  and  as  the  blue  summit  of 
Pico  showed  itself  it  the  hazy  distance,  while  a 
light  breeze  rippled  over  the  smooth  sea  and 
urged  our  vessel  landward,  all  were  for  a  while 


THELAND.  57 

subdued,  and  entered  heart  and  spirit  into  the 
peaceful  scene. 

It  was  midday  when  we  raised  the  .and.  On 
"turning  out"  next  morning,  we  found  our  ship 
lying  becalmed  in  front  of  the  vast  Peak  of  Pico, 
which,  at  a  distance  of  some  ten  or  twelve  miles, 
seemed  almost  overhanging  the  vessel.  All  was 
now  bustle  and  preparation.  The  Portuguese,  usu- 
ally so  taciturn,  were  excited  beyond  all  measure; 
and  as  under  the  pressure  of  a  gentle  breeze  we 
neared  the  land,  they  eagerly  pointed  out  to  each 
other,  and  to  the  crew,  various  objects,  familiar  to 
them,  tlie  scenes  of  former  labors  or  pleasures. 

And  when  at  last,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon, we  dropped  anchor  in  the  bay,  the  Port- 
uguese boatmen  who  shortly  came  on  board,  were 
hailed  and  shaken  hands  with  as  old  familiar 
friends,  although  they  had  probably  never  before 
been  known  to  our  men. 

It  is  a  very  agreeable  thing  to  make  land,  under 
almost  any  circumstances.  The  tedious  and  mo- 
notonous life  of  a  sea-voyage  is  pleasantly  broken 
in  upon — and  aside  from  the  satisfaction  felt  by 
all  on  board  at  knowing  that  so  much  of  the  ob- 
ject of  the  voyage  has  been  accomplished,  every 
mind  revels,  in  anticipation,  in  tho  pleasures  and 
diversions  of  the  shore.  On  such  occasions  old 
quarrels  are  amicably  arranged,  and  new  friend- 
ships are  formed;  all  hearts  open  ur consciously; 
and  while  gazing  with  eager  longing  at  the  blue 
mountain  tops  in  the  distance,  you  suddenly  ar 


58  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

rive  at  the  conclusion  thai  the  individual  standing 
beside  you  is  a  first  rate  fellow — all  previous  pre- 
judices to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

Of  course,  our  crew  hoped  to  have  a  run  on 
shore.  I  never  sailed  into  a  port  in  my  life,  that 
the  crew,  or  a  portion  of  them,  at  any  rate,  had 
not  prepared  their  minds  for  a  day's  liberty.  How 
often  and  bitterly  have  I  myself  been  deceived  and 
disappointed  !  This  time,  however,  I  knew  better 
than  to  expect  "  liberty  "  for  any  one.  We  had  no 
oil  to  land,  nor,  in  fact,  any  business  in  port,  ex- 
cept to  procure  some  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  oran- 
ges, and  a  quantity  of  other  fruit,  with  a  few  sweet 
potatoes.  We  should  not  have  anchored  at  all,  had 
it  not  been  that  the  captain  had  a  relative  on 
shore,  with  whom  he  desired  to  spend  an  evening 
in  quiet,  and  without  anxiety. 

Bitter  lamentations  at  their  hard  fate  succeeded 
the  announcement  to  the  green  hands,  of  the  im- 
possibility of  their  getting  on  shore ;  they  could 
scarcely  believe  that  the  captain  could  refuse  them 
such  a  favor;  and  that  night  sundry  schemes  were 
laid  for  running  off  from  the  vessel,  and  thus  grat- 
ifying their  wishes  without  the  consent  of  the 
captain,  whom  they  regarded  as  a  cruel  monster. 
These  were,  however,  the  veriest  air  castles,  which 
crumbled  from  view  at  the  slightest  touch  of 
practical  common  sense. 

"  Suppose  you  greenhorns  run  away — what  will 
you  do  when  you  get  ashore — you  are  no  sailors 
— no  captain  would  ship  you.  You  can't  get  work 


SAILORS.  59 

ashore,  for  the  poor  people  can't  get  bread  for  all 
that  are  already  on  the  island" — was  the  discour- 
aging remark  of  a  boatsteerer  who  had  been  taken 
into  their  confidence;  and  so  the  idea  of  running 
away  was  abandoned. 

As  for  myself — I  had  long  since  become  haid- 
ened  to  such  disappointments,  and  although  jusl 
as  eager  to  have  a  run  ashore  as  any  one,  was  able 
to  philosophize  on  the  disappointment  of  our 
hopes.  I  think  the  life  of  a  man  before  the  mast 
is  calculated  to  make  a  stoic  of  any  ono.  In  no 
other  condition  that  I  know  of,  are  all  the  hopes, 
aims  and  desires  of  one  man  placed  so  completely 
in  the  keeping  of  another — whose  interests  fur- 
thermore almost  invariably  clash  with  those  of  his 
subject.  No  where  else  are  the  keenest  desires  so 
invariably  doomed  to  disappointment — in  no  other 
situation  is  one  obliged,  for  peace  of  mind  sake,  to 
become  so  utterly  apathetic.  The  fact  is,  sailors 
should  be  brutes — not  men. 

By  our  poor  Portuguese  the  compulsory  stay  on 
board  was  doubtless  more  keenly  felt  than  by  any 
others.  It  was  their  fatherland — and  to  theii 
credit  I  must  say  that  I  found  them  invariably  to 
cherish  a  strong  love  for  it,  poor  and  rude  though 
it  may  be.  But  after  the  first  excitement  of  see- 
ing and  speaking  to  the  people  in  the  shore -boats. 
was  over,  they  settled  down  into  a  calm,  desponding 
sort  of  enjoyment,  and  in  the  dog  watch  gathered 
into  a  little  knot  upon  the  top-gallant  forecastle, 
and  gazing  upon  the  loved  shore,  talked  of  home, 


60  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

of  the  happy  days  they  had  there  enjoyed,  and 
of  their  present  prospects,  and  hopes  of  some  day 
being  able  to  settle  down  in  comfort  there,  with 
the  fruits  of  their  hard  labors. 

A  great  many  Western  Island  Portuguese  find 
employment  in  American  whalemen;  almost  every 
vessel  sailing  from  New  Bedford  carrying  more  01 
less  of  them.  They  are  a  quiet,  peaceful,  in  ;>ffen- 
eive  people,  sober  and  industrious,  penurious,  al- 
most to  a  fault,  and  I  believe,  invariably  excellent 
whalemen.  They  are  held  in  great  esteem  by 
ship  owners  and  captains,  but  are  often  despised 
by  their  shipmates  in  the  forecastle,  who  seeing 
them  of  such  different  habits  to  their  own,  choose 
to  decry  them  as  sneaks,  and  tale-bearers. 

1  found  them  quite  the  reverse ;  and  with  one  or 
two  exceptions,  those  with  us  were  the  only  indi- 
viduals of  the  crew  with  whom  I  could  associate 
with  any  degree  of  pleasure.  Brought  up  in  the 
most  abject  poverty,  it  is  natural  that  they  should 
be  saving — and  refuse  to  waste  their  hard  earned 
money  for  trifles  or  in  dissipation,  as  is  the  fashion 
with  sailors  in  general. 

They  have  moreover  an  object  in  life,  which  is 
never  lost  sight  of  in  all  their  wanderings  and 
toils  It  is  their  hope  some  day  to  be  able  to  set- 
tle down  on  their  native  islands,  among  their 
friends  and  ki  idred,  and  with  the  savings  of  yeais 
of  hard  labor,  to  spend  their  latter  years  in  peace- 
ful retirement.  Yery  many,  I  have  been  inform- 
ed, have  lived  to  realize  this  day-dream,  and 


DIVIDING     THE     SPOllS.  61 

Baking  the  few  hundreds  of  dollars,  which  is  th« 
sum  of  thoir  savings,  have  returned  to  live  at  ease 
in  the  home  of  their  youth.  It  is  not  possible 
that  men  who  cherish  such  recollections,  and  en- 
ter on  life  with  such  hopes  and  determinations, 
ehould  fall  to  the  depths  of  depravity  and  vice  in 
which  whalemen  generally  lose  themselves. 

Early  on  the  morning  succeeding  our  arrival  in 
[>ort,  several  large  boatloads  of  fruit,  with  some 
potatoes,  and  half  a  dozen  razor-backed  pigs  were 
brought  along  side  and  taken  on  board.  Im- 
mediately thereafter  we  once  more  got  under 
weigh,  and  departed  on  our  long  voyage.  When 
the  anchor  was  stowed  and  all  snug  for  sea,  the 
oranges  which  had  been  brought  on  board  were 
divided  among  the  crew,  each  one  receiving  a 
share  to  take  care  of,  and  eat  as  he  saw  fit.  This 
is  the  usual  manner  of  proceeding  in  such  cases, 
on  board  a  whaleship,  and  prevents  all  after 
quarrels,  inasmuch  as  each  one  can  make  as  much 
of  his  hoard  as  he  pleases. 

My  share  amounted  to  nearly  three  hundred. 
They  lasted  three  weeks,  and  it  was  with  an  anx- 
ious desire  for  more  that  I  put  the  last  and  juciest 
one  to  my  lips — well  knowing  that  many  month? 
would,  in  all  probability,  elapse  before  we  should 
be  favored  with  another  run  into  port. 

Once  more  at  sea,  the  old  wearisome  drudgery 
recommenced.  Here  a  patch  and  there  a  mat,  in 
one  place  a  new  rope,  in  another  an  old  one  refit- 
ted, tarring  ar.d  slushing,  scraping  and  scrubbing 


62  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

day  after  day  proceeded  the  labor  of  fitting  the 
vessel's  rigging,  sails  and  deck  for  the  endurance 
of  a  long  season  of  neglect.  Meanwhile  we  were 
keeping  a  stricter  lookout  for  whales,  hopeful  that 
we  might  at  this  early  part  of  our  cruise  fall  in 
with  and  capture  some  "good  fish." 

All  the  crew  were  now  to  some  degree  broken 
in  to  the  sealife,  and  pretty  soon  the  new  hands 
began  to  claim  for  themselves  great  credit  on 
the  score  of  seamanship.  With  infinite  pains 
they  had  been  taught  a  few  of  the  many  splices, 
knots,  and  ties  which  all  old  tars  have  at  their 
fingers'  ends.  With  doleful  groans  they  had  prac- 
ticed running  aloft,  until  the  first  emotions  of  fear 
and  dizziness  had  worn  off.  By  dint  of  steady  per- 
severance they  were  now  able  to  chew  tobacco 
without  being  nauseated,  and  to  spit  about  the  decks 
without  feeling  that  they  were  committing  a  dirty 
trick.  As  for  swearing,  I  must  own  that  that 
accomplishment  they  seemed  to  master  without 
any  apparent  effort.  They  could  hitch  up  their 
suspenderless  trowsers,  and  cock  their  hats  on 
"three  hairs,"  in  a  manner  faintly  resembling  that 
supposed  to  be  peculiar  to  the  genuine  tar  :  and  so 
they  called  themselves  sailors.  They  had  arrived 
at  the  summit  of  their  tree  of  knowledge,  and  did 
not  fail  to  congratulate  themselves  upon  the  pros- 
pect stretching  out  before  them. 

Alas!  they  had  one  more  mortification  to  un- 
dergo— one  more  difficulty  to  overcome, — yet  an- 
other branch  of  the  business  to  familiarize  them 


INTHEBOATS.  63 

selves  with,  before  they  would  be  even  whalemen 
— and  what  old  salt  does  not  know  that  there  is 
as  much  difference  between  a  whaleman  and  a 
true  sailor,  as  there  is  between  a  child's  tin  trum- 
pet and  the  bugle  which  calls  to  battle. 

To  tell  the  truth,  I,  in  virtue  of  being  a  real, 
genuine  tar,  despised  these  fellows  from  the  bottom 
of  my  heart;  and  it  must  be  owned,  they  hated 
me  with  a  fervor  which  was  only  equaled  by  its 
powerlessness. 

But  to  return  to  my  story.  We  were  three  days 
out  from  Fayal,  and  had  by  the  aid  of  a  favorable 
breeze,  left  the  lofty  Peak  of  Pico  many  miles  be- 
hind us,  when  coming  upon,  deck  one  morning,  we 
found  a  dead  calm,  a  tolerably  smooth  sea,  and  a 
thin  hazy  atmosphere,  which,  to  the  old  whalemen 
aft,  looked  like  whaling  ground.  Shortly  after 
breakfast  word  was  passed  to  man  the  boats,  to 
take  some  practice  in  pulling  and  maneuvering, 
in  order  that  our  crew  might  not  be  entirely  un- 
prepared, should  we  be  so  fortunate  as  to  fall  in 
with  whales. 

The  various  boats-crews  had  been  chosen  when 
we  were  but  a  few  days  out  at  sea,  and  each  indi- 
vidual had  received  some  general  instructions  as 
to  his  particular  duties. 

And  here  it  will  be  as  well  to  initiate  the  reader 
into  the  manner  in  which  a  boat's  crew  is  divided, 
and  what  is  each  one's  duty.  Each  boat  is  manned 
by  six  hands  in  all;  of  these  the  officer  or  boat-header 
as  he  is  styled,  and  the  boatsteerer,  or  harpooneers- 


64  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

man  are  two.  The  four  men  at  the  cars  are  called 
beginning  at  the  bow,  the  bow-oarsman,  midship- 
•mrsman,  tub-oarsman,  and  stroke-oarsman. 

It  's  the  duty  of  the  first  named,  aside  frcm  his 
iaboi  at  the  oar,  to  assist  the  boat-header  in  getting 
<Hit  his  lances,  when  about  to  kill  the  whale.  He 
takes  them  out  of  their  beckets,  takes  off  and  stows 
away  the  sheaths  which  envelope  the  lance-heads, 
and  when  hauling  on  the  whale  to  lance,  his  par- 
ticular office  is  to  hold  the  line  at  special  places  on 
the  bow,  to  keep  the  boat  in  a  convenient  situation 
to  reach  the  whale.  As  being  nearest  to  the  seer  e  of 
operations,  and  the  boat-header's  right  hand  man. 
the  bow-oarsman's  place  is  considered  one  of  spec- 
ial honor,  and  he  is  first  on  the  list  for  promol  ion 

The  midship-oarsman  is  chosen  with  especial 
regard  to  his  length  of  limb  and  stoutness  of  mus 
cle,  as  he  wields  the  longest  and  toughest  oar  in 
the  boat.  The  tub-oarsman  throws  water  upon 
the  line  when  the  whale  is  sounding  rapidly,  tc 
prevent  it  from  igniting  from  the  violent  friction  ; 
while  the  man  at  the  stroke  oar,  as  the  name 
denotes,  gives  stroke  to  the  rest  in  pulling,  and  ig 
also  of  material  service  to  the  boat-steerer  in  keep- 
ing clear  the  line,  and  coiling  it  down  as  it  is  haul- 
od  in. 

The  nameb  of  the  officers  are  scarcely  expres- 
sive, at  least  to  a  landsman,  of  their  duties.  The 
two  most  important  operations,  and  those  requir- 
ing most  skill  in  their  execution,  in  capturing  a 
whale,  are  those  of  "going  on  to  him"  to  harpoon, 


DUTIES     OF     THE     BOAT'S     CREW.         65 

and  killing  him,  when  once  fast.  Of  course  the 
boat-header  takes  the  most  responsible  positions 
in  these  maneuvers;  and  consequently  he  steers 
the  boat  till  the  whale  is  harpooned — which  office 
is  performed  by  the  boat-steerer.  Immediately 
thereafter  the  two  change  places,  the  boat-headei 
taking  charge  of  the  bow,  to  give  the  whale  the 
death  blow. 

It  is  a  very  unfrequent  occurrence,  to  kill  a 
whale  at  the  first  blow,  with  the  harpoon.  Whales 
are  so  easily  "gallied"  or  frightened,  that  it  is  con- 
sidered an  object  to  get  a  harpoon  solidly  fastened 
in  almost  any  place,  the  lance  being  always  count- 
ed on  to  deal  out  death  to  him. 

I  may  add  here  that  I  had  been  chosen  bow- 
oarsman  for  the  chief  mate's  boat,  an  honor  where- 
at I  was  not  a  little  elated,  the  more  particularly  as 
[  had  never  before  made  a  whaling  cruise,  and  wae 
therefore  entirely  inexperienced. 

Well,  we  lowered  the  boats.  All  was  of  course, 
bustle  and  confusion.  Many  of  the  crew  had  never 
in  their  lives  been  in  a  boat ;  and  those  who  had,  evi- 
dently viewed  the  long,  narrow,  shallow,  and  slen- 
der boats  used  for  whaling,  as  exceedingly  suspi 
cious  contrivances,  very  little  to  be  depended  upon 

It  being  a  calm  day,  the  crews  were  directed  to 
'follow  the  boat  down" — that  is  to  say,  to  slide 
down  by  the  side  of  the  vessel,  abreast  of  tneir 
respective  boats,  in  readiness  to  jump  in  as  soon 
&s  the  boats  touched  the  water.  In  endeavoring 
U,  jump  into  his  boat — the  ship  just  at  thatmo- 
5 


66  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

tnent  giving  an  unexpected  lurch — one  of  our  awk- 
ward squad  dropped  into  the  water,  coming  up 
puffing  and  blowing,  some  distance  astern,  to  tne 
intense  amusement  of  all  lookers  on. 

But  this  was  only  the  beginning  of  the  day's 
sport.  Although  the  sea  wore  a  smooth  surface, 
there  was  sufficient  of  a  ground  swell  to  make  the 
use  of  oars,  a  matter  of  some  difficulty  to  tliost 
who  for  the  first  time  held  them  in  their  hands. 
Having  gotten  the  four  boats  in  a  line,  the  mate 
proposed  a  race;  and  at  the  word,  we  started. 
Racing,  however,  was  soon  found  to  be  out  of  the 
question.  The  first  thing  to  be  taught  the  green- 
hands,  was  to  keep  strol^ — to  place  their  oars  in 
the  water  all  at  the  same  time,  and  lift  them  out 
again  with  one  motion. 

The  necessity  for  this  being  perfectly  under- 
stood, we  tried  again.  But-now  our  fellows  began 
to  "  catch  crabs."  As  the  swell  would  lift  the 
boat,  those  not  paying  strict  attention  would  fail 
to  reach  the  water  with  the  blades  of  their  oars ; 
and  not  meeting  with  the  resistance  upon  which 
they  had  counted,  would  incontinently  tumble  over 
on  their  backs,  heels  high  in  mid-air,  heads  under 
the  seats,  and  oars  dangling  about  pretty  much  at 
random.  However,  after  a  goodly  number  of  mis 
haps  of  this  kind,  all  our  own  boat's  crew 
arrived  at  a  proper  understanding  of  the  first 
principles  of  pulling,  or  "  rowing,"  a?  landsmen 
would  say,  and  after  two  or  perhaps,  tnroe  days 
and  practice,we  could  propel  our  boat  at  goof1 


BLACK-PISH.  67 

gpeed.  Eventually  my  shipmates  made  most  excel- 
lent oarsmen,  and  won  themselves  laurels  in  several 
contests  of  speed  with  crews  much  more  expe- 
rienced than  ours. 

We  were  favored  with  an  almost  continual  suc- 
cession of  fair  breezes,  till  we  neared  the  line, 
where  the  customary  calms  and  light  winds  gave 
us  occasion  for  a  little  more  working  ship  than  we 
had  until  then,  been  used  to.  A  strict  look  out 
was  continually  kept,  but  no  spouts  greeted  the 
wearied  eyes  of  our  look-out  men. 

On  the  line,  however,  one  Sabbath  morning,  a 
school  of  black-fish  passed  quite  near  the  vessel,  and 
of  course  we  lowered  for  them,  but  few  whalemen 
observing  the  Sabbath  when  whales  are  in  ques- 
tion. Black-fish  are  a  small  species  of  whale, 
tolerably  hard  to  catch,  as  they  have  none  of  the 
regularity  of  movement  which  is  characteristic  of 
their  huger  cousins,  the  sperm  and  right  whales. 
They  make  but  little  oil  when  caught— but  to  a 
whaleman  all  is  fish  that  spouts. 

The  fish  were  themselves  evidently  in  high 
spirits,  running  about  in  every  direction,  breach- 
ing, making  the  water  fly  with  their  flukes,  and 
acting  out  all  manner  of  queer  antics.  None  of  the 
caution  and  silence  usually  observed  on  lowering 
after  sperm  whales  was  therefore  necessary,  and 
previously  instructed  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
business  we  were  upon,  and  that  it  was  to  be  con- 
sidered more  in  the  light  of  sport,  than  as  a  serious 


68  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

grasp  at  wealth,  we  tumbled  into  the  boats,  laugh 
ing  and  shouting  in  high  glee. 

Four  hours  of  hard  pulling,  now  backing,  now 
faying  quickly  round,  and  again  bending  to  our 
oars  with  all  our  strength,  always  within  a  boat's 
length  or  two,  but  never  within  dart  of  the  mis- 
chievous fish,  convinced  us  that  although  doubt- 
less it  is  high  sport  to  the  black-fish,  it  is 
anything  but  fun  to  those  whose  bone  and  sinew  is 
brought  in  requisition  in  a  fruitless  chase  of  them. 

Now  the  whole  school  were  right  ahead  of  the 
boats,  and  it  was  "pull  boys,  and  we'll  strike  one 
this  rising."  But  just  before  we  got  within  dart- 
ing distance,  when  even  the  iron  was  already 
poised  in  the  boatsteerer's  hands,  ready  to  "give 
it  to  him,"  the  provoking  fellows  would  toss  their 
heads  and  disappear  from  view  beneath  the  water. 

Lying  still  a  moment,  we  would  hear  a  puff  im- 
mediately behind  us,  and  lo !  there  they  lay,  at 
heads  and  points,  like  a  lot  of  overgrown  pickled 
herring,  and  apparently  with  no  idea  of  quitting 
that  place  for  some  time. 

"  Pull  starboard — back  your  port  oars!"  shouts 
the  mate,  in  the  greatest  excitement,  as  with  a 
few  vast  sweeps  of  his  steering  oar  he  lays  the 
boat  round.  With  half  a  dozen  vigorous  strokes 
ve  send  the  boat  right  to  the  spot  whence  they 
lavo  but  that  moment  disappeared.  The  next  we 
lee  of  thorn  may  be  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile, 
ind  off  we  scour,  af  er  them,  each  boat's  crevr 


WHAT    WHALEMEN    EAT.  69 

eager  to  be  first  at  the  scene  of  operations,  but  all 
too  late,  for  after  sticking  their  ugly  heads  out  of 
the  water  for  some  time,  as  though  too  lazy  to 
float  in  the  usual  horizontal  position,  they  are  off 
again. 

Four  hours  of  such  sport  prepared  us  -to  enjoy  a 
much  more  substantial  and  elegantly  prepared 
repast  than  awaited  us  when  wearied  and  disap- 
pointed, we  returned  on  board. 

And  this  brings  me  to  the  consideration  of  that 
portion  of  life,  which  I  have  noticed  seems  on 
ship-board  to  be  considered  the  main  and  most 
important  part  of  existence,  namely,  eating.  What 
to  eat,  must  be  a  matter  of  much  thought  with 
men  who  have  nothing  but  the  regularly  recurr- 
ing meal  times  to  break  the  dreary  monotony  of 
every  day  life. 

Men  long  for  excitement ;  and  as  idlers  on  shore 
discuss  the  news  of  the  day,  and  settle  the  des- 
tinies of  nations  after  their  own  ideas  of  justice 
and  policy — so  do  ship  captains  and  mates  take 
into  serious  consideration  the  fate  of  certain 
chickens,  ducks,  and  pigs,  and  enter  into  long- 
winded  discussions  as  to  the  proper  time  and  best 
method  of  preparing  these  animals  for  the  table, 
while  forecastle  Jack  growls  at  the  cook  about  the 
ill-prepared  bean  soup  and  the  raw  duff,  Uie  moldy 
rice,  or  half-cooked  beef  which  is  set  before  him. 

The  provisions  for  the  forecastle  in  a  whaleship, 
differ  but  very  little  in  kind  from  those  of  a  man- 
of-war,  yet  there  is  no  regular  allowance,  a  suf 


70  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

ficien  cy  to  satisfy  the  appetites  of  all  being  at  all 
times  furnished.  In  several  matters,  however, 
whaleships  are  better  provided  than  either  the 
naval  or  merchant  service. 

In  the  first  place,  as  on  such  long  voyages, 
where,  too,  the  vessel  is  for  many  months  at  a  time 
cruising  about  at  sea,  men  are  very  liable  to  attacks 
of  scurvy,  captains  and  owners  take  care  to  have 
constantly,  so  long  as  they  can  be  procured,  a 
plentiful  supply  of  potatoes — a  luxury  which  is 
unknown  in  the  navy,  and  not  always  found  in 
the  merchant  service.  Again,  as  everything  is 
tightly  stowed  away  in  large,  well  made  casks, 
provisions  of  all  kinds  are  much  better  preserved 
than  on  any  other  voyages.  This  is  particularly 
the  case  with  the  bread  or  biscuit,  which  will  be 
found  of  excellent  quality  in  a  whaleship  three  or 
four  years  from  home,  while  in  a  naval  vessel  it  is 
often  worm-eaten  worthless  trash  when  but  a  few 
months  out. 

But  if  the  provisions  are  good,  the  cooks  are  as 
a  general  thing  execrable — realizing  the  old  pro- 
verb, which  ascribes  a  totally  opposite  origin  to 
the  victuals  and  those  who  prepare  them.  Our 
cook  was  a  negro,  whose  only  virtue  was  cleanli- 
ness. His  cooking  stove  was  always  bright  and 
polished,  and  the  copper-sheathed  floor  of  his 
galley  served  excellently  as  a  mirror,  wherein  his 
shining  black  face  was  reflected  in  a  hundred 
different  attitudes  and  contortions.  He  changed 
bis  linen  much  oftener  than  the  captain,  and 


THE    COOK.  71 

devoted  more  time  to  the  straightening  out  of 
ois  kink}  locks  than  the  veriest  city  dandy. 
He  was  a  full  bred  exquisite,  and  withal  a  very 
Hercules  in  strength  and  agility.  As  a  man  he 
jras  respectable — as  a  cook  abominable.  His  bean 
soup  was  an  abortion — his  rice,  a  tasteless  jelly, 
and  the  duff — that  potent  breeder  of  heart-burns, 
indigestion,  and  dyspepsia,  even  in  the  iron  bound 
stomach  of  a  sailor — reached  under  his  hands  the 
very  acme  of  indigestibility. 

Happily  it  is  one  of  the  rules  peculiar  to  tho 
culinary  department  of  a  whaleship,  that  whoevei 
will  arrange  a  private  meal  for  himself  is  allowed 
space  in  the  oven  to  cook  it.  So  when  matters 
came  to  extremes,  and  even  my  sea-appetite  rebel- 
led at  the  unsavory  morsels  brought  up  in  regular 
course  of  cookery,  I  was  used  to  prepare  a  dinner 
or  a  supper  for  myself,  which  although  not  much 
superior  in  point  of  artistic  culinary  arrangement, 
was  yet  digestible. 


72  WHALING     AND     FISHIffO. 


CHAPTER    V 

SABBATH — Our  Captain's  whaling  experience — Land  ho!  —Tat 
Scene  of  a  battle — Tristan  d'Acunha—  The  story  of  itfi 
settlement— Governor  Glass — The  internal  economy  of  the 
settlement — Intercourse  with  shipping — General  appeal  anoe 
of  the  island — A  wreck — An  exciting  race — Madagascar  or 
Malaga  ? 

DESIRING  to  procure  a  large  supply  of  potatoes 
for  our  whaling  cruise,  the  captain  had  determined 
to  make  a  day's  stay  at  the  Island  of  Tristan 
d'Acunha,  a  place  seldom  visited  except  by  whale- 
ships  in  want  of  stores,  and  one  which  I  had  long 
desired  to  see. 

Meantime  we  were  still  engaged  in  refitting 
the  vessel,  and  had  now  gotten  so  far  along  that 
WQ  could  see  the  end  of  our  labors.  It  is  customary 
in  the  merchant  service,  even  in  the  worst  of  ships, 
to  allow  the  men  who  have  had  two  watches  on 
deck  the  preceding  night,  to  rest  during  the 
watch  from  eight  to  twelve  A.  M.  On  board  :tir 
vessel  however,  it  was  an  object  to  get  all  the 
work  finished  up  before  we  got  upon  whaling 
ground,  and  therefore  all  hands  were  compelled 
to  work  all  day — that  is,  from  eight  A.  M.  to  six 
P.  M. — in  addition  to  keeping  regular  watches  all 


A    SABBATH     D  A  Y  '  S     WORK.  73 

night.  Those  who  grumbled  at  this  arrangement, 
among  whom  /  was  conspicuous,  received  for 
consolation  the  information  that  once  upon  the 
whaling  ground,  no  work  whatever,  not  absolutely 
necessary,  would  be  required. 

After  living  amid  tar,  slush  and  dirt  all  the 
week,  Saturday  night — when  the  decks  were 
washed  down,  and  all  work  put  out  of  sight — and 
Sabbath,  were  seasons  of  peculiar  enjoyment  to  all, 
and.  to  none  more  than  myself,  who  then  had  a 
little  time  for  reading,  from  which  I  was  debarred 
during  working  days, 

Sunday  was  with  us,  at  this  time,  a  day  for 
general  shaving,  washing,  and  scrubbing.  Salt 
water  is  too  "hard"  to  wash  in  with  comfort,  and 
in  consideration  of  our  labors  during  the  week, 
we  were  on  Saturday  night  indulged  in  two  quarts 
of  fresh  water  per  man,  with  the  aid  of  which  we 
succeeded  pretty  well  in  removing  the  stains  of 
the  past  week. 

Mending,  too,  was  in  order  on  the  Sabbath.  The 
Portuguese  among  our  crew  had  been  wise  enough 
to  choose  their  own  outfit.  I  had  needed  but  little 
clothing,  but  had  taken  some  light  drilling  in- 
stead, to  make  up  for  myself  shirts  and  trowsers, 
an  art  in  which  I  was  by  this  time  quite  a  pro- 
ficient. The  new  hands  had  taken  whatever  the 
outfitters  had  chosen  to  say  they  needed,  and  some 
of  them  had  been  woefully  cheated. 

Woollen  shirts  which,  after  the  first  washing, 
one  could  pull  to  pieces — as  though  made  of  tow — 


74  WHALING    AND    FISHNG. 

and  cotton  trowsers  which  blew  apart  as  they 
hung  in  the  rigging  to  dry,  such  was,  with  three 
or  four  exceptions,  the  quality  of  their  supply  of 
clothing  for  a  four  years  cruise.  Some  there  were 
however,  who  had  fallen  into  better  hands,  and 
these  had  received  the  worth  of  their  money  in 
good  substantial  clothing. 

Green  hands  often  prefer  while  yet  in  port,  to 
deal  with  the  very  men  who  afterward  cheat 
them  so  outrageously — for  the  reason  that  these 
will,  in  most  cases,  advance  them  small  sums  of 
money  during  their  stay  on  shore,  to  be  charged 
as  clothing  in  the  bill,  while  the  honest  dealer 
ignores  all  such  transactions.  Thus  the  inexpe- 
rienced and  unthinking  often  for  the  sake  of  a 
little  indulgence  on  shore,  sacrifice  their  comfort 
during  the  greater  part  of  a  cruise. 

It  is  not  expected  however,  that  the  clothing 
obtained  of  the  outfitters  shall  last  the  crew  the 
entire  cruise.  And  as  clothing  stores  are  not 
known  in  the  vicinity  of  many  of  the  whaling 
grounds,  the  captains  are  provided  by  the  owner 
with  a  "slop-chest,"  furnished  with  all  articles 
which  are  likely  to  be  wanted  for  the  particular 
voyage  upon  which  the  vessel  is  bound.  These  slop- 
chests  were  in  former  times  the  perquisites  of  the 
captains,  and  they  often  made  immense  profits  upon 
their  investments;  from  two  to  three  hundred  per 
cent  being  considered  only  an  average  return. 
Many  complaints  were  made  about  this  system  of 
•xtortion,  by  which,  as  one  of  our  boatsteerers 


PATCH   UPON  PATCH.  75 

shrewdly  observed,  a  man  was  compelled  "  e.tker 
to  be  skinned  or  go  naked;"  and  the  matter  is 
now  almost  altogether  taken  out  of  the  hands  cf 
the  captains.  The  owners  affix  a  price  to  each 
article  in  the  chest,  and  at  that  it  is  sold  to  the 
needy.  Yet  these  prices  are  sufficiently  high,  four 
years  interest  and  something  additional  for  ne- 
cessary loss  being  charged  upon  the  cost  price  of 
each  article,  on  such  a  voyage  as  that  we  were 
upon;  making  in  all  about  thirty  per  cent. 

Fashion,  I  believe,  generally  takes  its  rise  either 
in  the  desire  to  conceal  a  deformity,  or  in  the  ne- 
cessities of  the  tailor.  Among  whalemen,  who 
perform  all  tailoring  operations  for  themselves, 
necessity  has  brought  in  vogue  a  fashion  called 
"  patch  upon  patch,  and  a  patch  over  all;"  and  to 
such  an  extent  does  this  prevail  that  it  is  said 
among  sailors  "you  may  know  a  whaleman  by  his 
patched  shirt." 

A  man  has  two  shirts,  both  nearly  worn  cut. 
He  puts  one  inside  the  other,  and  quilts  both  to- 
gether with  woollen  yarn,  then  places  additional 
patches  over  the  spots  which  yet  appear  frail,  and 
congratulates  himself  upon  the  possession  of  a 
shirt  which  will  last  him,  with  care,  for  the  bal- 
ance of  his  natural  life. 

The  Sabbath  is  a  day  of  uninterrupted  rest, 
previous  to  the  arrival  of  the  vessel  upon  her 
destined  cruising  ground.  And  on  such  days, 
when  the  weather  is  fair,  all  hands,  with  smooth 
faces  and  clean  shirts,  bring  on  deck  their  clothes 


76  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

to  &ir  them,  while  such  as  have  them,  look  ovei 
letters,  and  tokens  from  the  "  folks  at  home,"  and 
luxuriate  in  the  remembrance  of  past  joye  and 
pleasures.  Two  of  our  mates  were  engaged  to  be 
married  on  their  return  from  the  voyage  we  were 
now  upon,  and  these  poor  fellows  used  on  pleasant 
Sabbaths,  to  bring  on  deck  the  miniatures  of  their 
sweethearts  at  home.  Looking  at  them,  they  read 
over  their  letters,  and,  carefully  unwrapping  them 
from  multitudinous  envelopes,  gloated  over  such 
little  love-tokens  as  they  had  received  on  their 
departure. 

The  captain  and  chief  mate  were  both  married 
men.  The  former  was  a  quiet,  sad  looking  gentle- 
manly man,  much  better  fitted  for  the  shore,  than 
for  the  rough  life  of  exposure  and  privation  in 
which  his  lot  had  been  cast.  He  had  sailed  in  the 
merchant  service  in  his  youth,  and  from  this  cir- 
cumstance, I,  who  was  a  "merchant  sailor,"  was 
quite  a  favorite  with  him. 

On  one  quiet  genial  Sabbath  day,  when  we  had 
been  nearly  three  months  from  home,  I  was  stand- 
ing at  the  helm,  with  eyes  half  closed,  little  mind- 
ing the  ship,  which  was  lazily  swinging  upon  the 
swell,  the  breeze  being  scarcely  sufficient  to  give 
her  steerage  way.  The  captain  was  lying  upon  *. 
mattrass,  near  the  taffrail,  reading.  Presently } 
closing  the  book,  he  asked  me  how  I  thought  1 
should  like  whaling.  Not  having  as  yet  had  any 
practical  trial  of  the  business,  I  could  not  give 
him  a  definite  answer. 


THE  CAPTAIN'S  WHALING  EXPER:  ENCE  ,  77 

"  It's  a  wretched  business,"  said  the  old  man, 
seriously — "  a  wretched  business.  I  suffer  more 
and  more  every  cruise  I  m-ake.  When  I  was  yet 
a  young  man,  the  matter  appeared  to  me  in  a 
different  lisrht;  but  as  I  grow  old,  my  desire  to 
»tay  at  home  with  my  family  increases,  and  it 
seems  like  tearing  one's  heartstrings  to  depart  on 
a  cruise  with  the  probability  of  being  gone  four 
long  years. 

"  I  have  b^en  five  voyages,"  he  continued,  after 
a  pause.  "  One  of  these  lasted  forty-nine  months, 
during  which  time,  I  heard  from  home  but  once. 
In  fifteen  years  of  my  whaling  life,  I  have 
spent  just  seventeen  months  at  home.  I  have 
never  been  present  at  a  birth  or  death  in  my 
family.  I  can  never  expect  more  than  two  or 
three  letters  from  home  in  the  course  of  a  thirty- 
six  or  forty-eight  months  cruise.  And  when  1 
now  look  back  upon  the  life  I  have  lived — and 
consider  how  few  and  brief  have  been  my  enjoy- 
ments, and  how  little  I  have  been  able  to  con- 
tribute to  the  happiness  of  my  family, — if  it  were 
not  for  my  belief  that  it  will  be  all  right  in 
heaven  " — said  the  old  man  earnestly — "  I  should 
not  have  the  courage  to  live." 

"  But,  sr  "  remarked  the  second  mate,  who  had 
boen,  with  me,  a  listener  to  the  captain's  words, 
"I  find  that  I  enjoy  myself  more  in  the  few 
months  I  remain  on  shore,  aft  3r  my  return  from 
a  voyage,  than  I  could  in  all  the  three  or  four 
years,  had  I  remained  on  shore  altogether.  The 


78  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

long  absence  gives  a  zest  to  the  enjoyment  of 
home  pleasures,  which  nothing  else  could  impart 
to  them." 

Here  were  two  opinions — one  that  of  hopeful 
youth,  looking  forward  to  a  bright  future — the 
other  that  of  mature  age,  already  grasping  th< 
future  still  anticipated  by  the  first. 

"  Put  up  your  helm  a  little,  Charley,  Ihe  sails 
are  shaking  in  the  wind,"  said  the  captain,  put- 
ting an  end  to  the  conversation,  and  rousing  me 
from  a  very  unsailorlike  revery  on  the  vanity  of 
all  sublunary  affairs. 

I  must  own  I  sided  with  the  captain.  His  pic- 
ture was  a  sober,  sad  reality.  It  was  the  review 
of  a  life  spent  to  but  little  purpose — of  energies 
wasted,  purposes  defeated,  and  bright  hopes  with- 
ered. His  little  yarn  gave  me  the  first  twinge  of 
home-sickness  I  had  felt  for  many  a  year.  1 
thought  of  the  loved  ones  at  home,  of  the  seven 
long  years  in  which  I  had  not  heard  from  them, 
and  of  the  apparently  small  hope  of  my  ever  re- 
turning thither,  to  sit  down  in  peace  and  quietness. 

In  short,  I  was  getting  "  blue,"  blue  as  the  azure 
sky  overhead,  but  not  near  so  cheerful,  when  the 
ever-joyful  cry  of "  Land,  ho ! "  from  the  mast- 
head, happily  brought  my  wandering  thoughts 
back  to  the  present,  and  dispelled  the  gloomy  fan 
cies  which  were  beginning  to  crowd  my  brain. 

To  think  is  not  part  of  the  regular  business  of  a 
sailor ;  and  to  be  afflicted  with  thoughts  beyond 
the  mere  present,  must  ever  be  to  him  a  source  of 


TRISTAN    D    ACUNHA.  79 

un happiness.  It  is  to  drown  troublesome  thoughts 
that  Jack  flies  to  the  inebriating  cup,  and  plunges 
madly  into  the  lowest  dissipation. 

The  land,  which  seemed  as  yet  but  a  dark  blue 
3jc<k  on  the  horizon,  was  the  island  of  Tristan 
cT  Acunha,  which  we  had  been  expecting  for  some 
days  to  see.  Toward  evening  the  breeze  fresh- 
ened, and  the  following  day,  at  8  o'clock,  we  were 
hove  to  abreast  of  the  only  landing  place  upon  the 
island,  there  being  no  harbor  or  sheltered  anchor- 
age for  vessels. 

Tristan  d'  Acunha  is  the  largest  of  a  group  of 
islets  in  the  South  Atlantic,  nearly  midway  be- 
tween the  Cape  of  G  ood  Hope  and  Cape  Horn,  and 
in  about  latitude  37  degrees  South,  and  longitude 
12  degrees  West.  The  other  islands  are  named 
Nightingale,  and  Inaccessible  Island.  Off  the  lat- 
ter, Commodore  (at  that  time  Commander)  Bid- 
die,  with  whom  I  made  my  first  cruise  of  three 
years,  in  the  Navy,  fought  an  action,  during  the 
war  of  1812,  with  the  British  brig  Penguin,  he 
being  at  that  time  in  command  of  the  Hornet. 

The  battle  lasted  twenty -two  minutes,  when  the 
British  vessel  struck  her  colors  and  surrendered. 
Our  old  Commodore  used  to  wear,  on  gala  days, 
the  identical  coat  ivhich  he  wore  that  day  in  action, 
a  small  patch  on  the  right  arm,  being  the  mark 
of  an  enemy's  bullet,  by  which  he  that  day  re- 
ceived a  wound.  With  a  prodigality  character- 
istic of  such  an  old  sailor  as  he  was,  he  wore  upon 


80  WHALING     ANT)     FISHINtt 

this  coat  very  large  flat  buttons,  each  the  siise  of  a 
Spanish  Doubloon,  and  made  of  pure  gold. 

Tristan,  as  the  island  is  familiarly  called  by  sea 
men,  presents  to  view  an  immense  peak,  rising 
from  the  ocean  to  the  hight  of  over  eight  thousand 
feet.  At  the  base  of  this  mountain  there  is  a  liar 
row  belt  of  arable  land,  upon  which  is  settled  the 
little  aolony  which  makes  this  dreary  spot  remark- 
able. Next  to  the  settlement  of  Pitcairn's  island, 
there  is  probably  no  more  interesting  or  romantic 
instance  of  colonization  on  record,  than  is  con 
tained  in  the  story  of  old  Governor  Glass,  as  he 
styles  himself,  and  his  subjects  and  children. 

During  the  imprisonment  of  the  Emperor  Napo- 
leon on  the  island  of  St.  Helena,  the  British  sta 
tioned  garrisons  on  all  the  out-of-the-way  rocks. 
within  a  circuit  of  hundreds,  and  even  thousands 
of  miles.  Among  others  Tristan  d'  Acunha  wa* 
chosen  as  the  location  of  a  troop  of  English  sol- 
diers. Upon  the  death  of  Napoleon,  these  pro 
cautionary  measures  were  no  longer  necessary 
and  as  the  barren  rock  of  Tristan  does  not  lie  in  the 
path  of  vessels  bound  round  the  Cape,  the  garrison 
was  taken  off.  Among  the  soldiers  was  one  Glass, 
who  had  conceived  the  romantic  idea  of  settling 
on  this  desolate  island,  after  the  manner  of  a 
Robinson  Crusoe. 

Escaping  tc  the  mountains  \\  hen  the  ship  whicl. 
was  to  bear  his  fellows  to  the  Cape  was  ready  t«. 
sail,  he  was  left.  He  remained  for  three  yc<r.rs  in 


THE     SETTLEMENT     AT     T  R  I  S  T  1  N  .  81 

•olitude  upon  the  island,  cultivating  a  little  garden 
spot,  and  amusing  himself  by  exploring  the  moun- 
tain fastnesses,  and  killing  goats,  with  which  tho 
island  at  that  time  abounded.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  an  outward  bound  Indiaman  which  had 
gotten  out  oi  her  latitude,  hove  in  sight— -saw 
bis  signal,  and  bore  him  to  the  Cape.  Here  he 
remained  a  sufficient  time  to  many  a  half-breeu 
native  woman,  and  to  earn  himself  an  outfit  for 
the  novel  life  to  which  he  intended  to  return  ;  arid 
then,  engaging  passage  in  a  schooner  bound  to 
St.  Helena,  he  was  landed  on  Tristan,  where  he 
has  been  living  ever  since,  in  contentment  and 
happiness. 

In  due  course  of  time  sons  and  daughters  were 
born  to  his  house,  and  with  their  aid  he  was  able 
to  so  extend  his  agricultural  operations,  as  to  have 
potatoes  and  mutton  to  sell  to  passing  vessels. 
The  island  now  became  a  convenient  calling-place 
for  American  whaling  vessels  bound  to  the  Cro- 
zets,  and  was  also  visited  occasionally  by  home- 
ward bound  Indiamen,  mainly  to  gratify  the 
desire  of  the  passengers  to  behold  with  their  own 
eyes  this  wonderful  little  settlement  in  the  wilder 
ness  of  waters. 

From  the  sailors  of  these  vessels,  the  colon j 
received  accessions,  and  these  new-eomeis  in 
time  became  husbands  to  the  old  patriarch's 
daughters.  His  sons  (he  had  eighteen  children 
-ii  all  but  mostly  girls)  remained  with  him  until 
6 


82  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

they  grew  up  to  man's  estate,  when  several  of 
them  chose  themselves  wives  from  among  the 
Portuguese  inhabitants  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
and  settled  for  life  under  the  rule  of  their  t'atlu  iv 
who  now  styled  himself  Governor.  Two  emerod 
the  American  whaling  service,  where  they  have 
become  expert  whalemen,  and  were  office™  in  i. 
New  London  vessel  at  the  time  of  our  visit  to  th<? 
island.  They  too  have  brought  their  families  to 
Tristan,  which  lies  at  a  comparatively  small 
distance  from  the  Crozets,  and  Desolation,  the 
whaling  ground  of  the  vessel  in  which  they  are 
engaged. 

At  the  time  of  our  visit  the  colony  numbered 
one  hundred  and  one  souls,  a  little  child  born  but 
a  few  days  before  our  arrival,  making  the  first  of 
the  new  hundred.  There  had  never  been  a  death 
on  the  island  since  its  first  settlement.  The  old 
governor  rules  supreme,  with  a  patriarchal  sway, 
over  the  entire  settlement.  All  trade  with  passing 
vessels  is  carried  on  by  him,  and  all  property  JR 
held  in  common. 

The  narrow  belt  of  land,  about  three  hundred 
acres,  which  is  arable,  is  cultivated  in  common, 
and  each  receives  of  the  proceeds  according  to  his 
need.  Upon  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  each  familj 
states  its  necessities  to  the  Governor,  who  barters 
his  produce  in  exchange  for  such  articles  as  are 
needed.  The  "almighty  dollar"  is  not  recrgniztd 
»8  a  medium  of  exchange.  With  the  produco  of 


GOV.     GLASS    AND     HIS    FAMILY.  Bl 

tbeii  land,  and  their  herds  of  sheep  and  cattle 
they  are  able  to  provide  abundantly  for  thoii 
comfort;  and  further  they  seek  not. 

In  the  arrangement  and  harmonious  carrying 
on  of  his  government,  the  old  man's  many  daugh 
ters  have  doubtless  been  of  incalculable  advantag< 
to  him,  in  procuring  him  numerous  obedient  sons 
in-law,  who,  by  a  law  he  has  enforced  from  the 
beginning,  must  never  leave  the  island.  At  th< 
time  of  our  visit  all  the  marriageable  women  wer< 
already  disposed  of.  The  colony  did  not  there- 
fore stand  in  need  of  any  extraneous  accessions : 
else  would  I  have  been  strongly  tempted  to  have 
offered  myself  as  a  settler,  so  delightful  did  their 
peaceful  and  independent  mode  of  life  seem  to  me 

The  women,  who  are  robust  and  fine  looking, 
use  the  rifle,  the  fish  spear,  and  the  oar,  with  a 
skill  equal  to  that  of  their  husbands  and  brothers. 
Their  dwellings  are  comfortable  cottages,  mainly 
built  of  stone,  of  which  there  is  an  abundance. 
The  village  lies  in  a  little  sheltered  nook — in  front, 
the  vast  ocean,  and  back  of  it,  towering  abruptly 
skyward,  the  immense  cone  which  constitutes  the 
greater  part  of  the  island.  To  the  right  of  the 
village  and  landing  is  the  narrow  strip  of  land 
which  they  cultivate.  Their  flocks  and  herds,  not 
numerous  but  thrifty,  roam  in  summer  over  the 
base  of  the  mountain,  and  along  the  narrow  belt  of 
level  land  which  rung  around  the  island.  In  win- 
ter, 1  was  told,  they  were  obliged  to  keep  them 
nearer  home,  as  in  btormy  weather  cattle  were 


84  WHALING    AND     PISHING. 

frequently  lost  in  the  immense  rifts  and  fissures 
everywhere  visible  on  the  sides  of  the  mountain, 
and  which  proclaim  the  volcanic  origin  of  the 
island. 

The  main  cone  is,  in  fact,  an  extinct  volcano, 
and  we  were  informed  that  in  its  crater  there  is  a 
beautiful  lake  of  pure  fresh  water,  from  which 
issue  numerous  rivulets  running  down  the  side? 
cf  the  mountain  and  emptying  into  the  sea. 

Fishing  seemed  to  form  one  of  the  important 
avocations  of  the  colonists.  They  had  several  fine 
whaleboats.  As  we  pulled  toward  the  shore  two 
boats'  crews  were  engaged  with  hook  and  line. 
They  shared  with  us  in  the  evening  the  proceeds 
of  a  very  successful  day's  sport.  The  fish  caught 
are  principally  bonita,  Spanish  mackerel,  bara- 
couta,  and  a  smaller  kind  of  mackerel,  such  as  are 
met  with  on  the  American  shores. 

They  have  upon  the  island  a  breed  of  very 
beautiful,  long-haired  dogs,  somewhat  resembling 
in  expressiveness  of  features  the  Newfoundland, 
Out  not  so  heavily  framed.  I  was  pained  to  see 
several  of  these  fine  animals  limping  about  with 
huge  billets  of  wood  tied  to  one  fore  foot.  These 
were  inveterate  sheep-killers,  and  this  was  the 
manner  in  which  they  were  prevented  from  com- 
mittiiig  their  depredations. 

We  hove-to  off  the  landing  at  8  o'clock,  A.  M, 
Shortly  after  Governor  Glass  came  along  side,  in 
a  whaleboat.  He  was  at  that  time,  he  said,  eighty- 
five  years  old,  but  walked  as  erectly,  and  had  ae 


TRISv^ND'ACUNHA.  85 

much  fire  in  his  little  grey  eyes,  as  a  man  of  forty 
A-fter  the  usual  inquiries  as  to  where  we  were  from, 
whither  bound,  and  what  we  desired  to  obtain  of 
bin,  he  produced  a  list  of  articles  which  he  desired 
to  obtain  in  exchange,  valuing  his  potatoes,  the 
only  article  we  had  come  there  to  purchase,  at  one 
dollar  per  bushel.  The  calico,  knives,  and  other 
matters  which  he  desired,  were  gotten  out,  and 
lowering  one  of  our  boats,  the  captain  proceeded 
to  the  shore  with  the  governor,  to  take  dinner 
with  him,  at  his  residence. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  our  boats  brought  off 
the  supply  of  potatoes  which  our  captain  had 
purchased,  and  at  dark  we  stood  off  on  our  voyage. 

I  think  I  never  saw  a  more  dreary  view  than 
the  island  presents  from  the  sea.  The  vast  waves 
of  the  Atlantic  beat  against  the  rock -bound  sides, 
with  a  sullen  roar  which  almost  deafens  one. 
The  mountain's  top  is  enveloped  in  a  thick  cloud 
of  mist,  which  fills  the  atmosphere  sometimes  far 
down  toward  its  base ;  and  the  air,  even  on  shore, 
is  strongly  impregnated  with  the  dampness  pecu- 
liar to  the  ocean.  Huge,  gloomy  albatrosses,  and 
dreary  little  cape  pigeons  darted  in  great  numbers 
from  place  to  place,  their  shrill,  discordant  screams 
supplying  an  unpleasant  falsetto  to  the  bass  f  the 
bellowing  surf. 

So  powerfully  does  the  sea  beat  against  the 
rocks,  that  even  in  the  village,  toward  evening 
when  the  breeze  had  freshened  to  half  a  gale  of 
wind,  on«  was  obliged  to  speak  at  the  top  of  his 


S  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

\  oice,  in  order  to  be  heard.  It  seemed  more  like 
u  little  spot  of  land  set  adrift  upon  the  sea,  than 
like  a  veritable  fastness,  impregnable  to  the  as 
saults  of  old  Ocean.  It  is  an  isolated  spot,  ana 
UJG  good  people  who  make  it  their  home  have,  to 
all  intents  and  purposes,  dissolved  all  connection 
with  the  rest  of  mankind.  I  should  think  it  a 
glorious  place  from  which  to  meditate  upon  the 
vanity  of  those  pursuits  in  which  men  in  the  groat 
world  engage  with  the  greatest  avidity.  How 
unimportant  must  appear  to  these  dwellers  in  the 
wilderness  of  waters,  those  daily  strifes  and  toils 
which  engross  the  lives  of  so  many  in  civilized 
lands,  and  which  we  are  used  to  look  upon  as  so 
all  important.  How  like  a  fancy  sketch,  or  per- 
haps, more  like  a  communication  from  another 
planet,  must  seem  to  them  the  accounts  in  the 
chance  papers  they  receive,  of  those  wars,  revolu 
tions,  and  ambitious  struggles,  which  set  that 
distant  world  agog,  and  furnish  food  for  excited 
thought  to  millions  of  men  for  years  of  time.  How 
like  a  dream,  or  romantic  fiction,  must  appear 
cotemporary  history,  to  a  child  born  and  raised 
in  this  out-of-the-way  spot. 

The  night  on  which  we  left  Tristan  was  dark 
and  storm-portending.  As  the  wind  was  fair,  how- 
ever, we  ran  along  under  whole  top-sails,  keeping 
a  bright  look-out  ahead.  During  my  trick  at  the 
helm,  from  twelve  to  two  in  the  middle  watch,  the 
startling  cry  of  "  hard  up ! "  from  the  mate  and 
the  man  on  1  ook-out,  brought  half  the  watch  below 


A    WRECK.  8? 

on  deck,  under  the  impression  that  we  were  about 
to  run  into  some  unthought  of  danger.  It  was 
(he  hull  of  a  vessel,  mastless,  and  lying  upon  her 
beam  ends,  which  we  had  nearly  gotten  foul  of. 
The  sea  ran  too  high  for  us  to  have  heard  a  cry, 
had  there  been  any  one  on  the  wreck,  and  the 
night  was  too  dark  to  distinguish  aught  else  than 
a  huge  shapeless  mass,  wallowing  in  the  waves 
which  broke  against  it. 

We  shortened  sail  instantly,  and  lay-to  till  day- 
break, in  order  to  ascertain  beyond  doubt  whether 
or  no  the  wreck  was  tenantless.  But  when  day 
broke,  the  hulk  had  disappeared,  and  after  cruis- 
ing about  the  spot  for  two  hours,  we  were  reluc- 
tantly compelled  to  stand  on  our  course — not 
knowing  but  that  to  that  wreck  some  poor  wretch 
was  clinging  with  the  fixed  grasp  of  despair, 
hoping  against  hope  that  his  faint  cry  would  be 
heard  above  the  roar  of  the  sea. 

With  a  favoring  breeze  the  thousand  miles  of 
ocean  which  separate  Tristan  from  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  were  soon  left  behind  us.  It  was 
upon  a  sunny  forenoon,  as  we  were  rushing 
through  the  water,  before  the  wind,  with  top-mast 
and  lower  studding  sails  set  on  both  sides,  that 
we  witnessed  a  most  beautiful  and  exciting  race. 
Th e  log  had  just  been  hove,  and  proclaimed  the 
ship  to  l.e  running  at  the  rate  of  twelve  knots  per 
hour,  or  a  mile  e^ery  five  minutes.  Just  then, 
and  while  we,  who  had  superintended  the  reeling 
up  of  the  line,  were  still  upon  the  poop,  four  large 


88  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

porpoises  came  leaping  over  the  waves,  t«vc 
abreast.  Unlike  their  usual  course,  which  ib  to 
run  counter  to  the  direction  of  the  wind,  these 
four  were  racing  before  the  wind,  in  a  direction 
parallel  to  our  own.  Every  moment  they  leaped 
out  of  the  water,  each  leap  seeming  as  though  they 
were  propelled  from  the  mouth  of  a  gun,  so  rapid 
and  direct  was  the  motion.  Every  muscle  of  their 
supple  bodies  was  evidently  strained  to  its  utmost 
tension,  and  their  bright  eyes  were  fairly  standing 
cyit  from  the  sockets,  while  their  short,  cough-like 
spouts,  seemed  like  the  panting  of  racers.  Thus 
they  flew  by  us,  overtaking  and  passing  us  as 
though  we  had  been  lying  at  anchor.  Their  rate 
as  they  passed,  we  supposed,  must  have  been 
nearly  twenty-five  miles  per  hour. 

A  few  days  with  such  a  breeze  brought  us  to 
our  whaling  ground,  which  was,  so  the  mates 
informed  us,  along  the  coast  of  Madagascar. 

"Madagascar,"  said  one  of  our  factory  boys  to 
me  one  day,  privately,  as  not  feeling  quite  certain 
that  he  was  not  exposing  an  unusual  degree  of 
ignorance  in  asking  the  question,  "that  is  the 
place  where  the  raisins  are  brought  from ;  is  it  not? 
I  never  thought  that  was  so  far  off.  I  think  we'll 
get  some  when  we  go  ashore  there."  He  had 
evidently  heard  of  Malaga,  and  failed  to  disi .;. 
guish  between  the  two  names. 

It  was  finally  determined  that  we  should  sail 
up  the  Mozambique  channel,  in  the  hope  of  thtre 
meeting  with  some  schools  which  our  captain 


PLEASING    ANTICIPATIONS.  89 

from  previous  experience,  to  frequent  those 
parts  of  the  sea  at  certain  seasons. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  we  were  greatly 
rejoiced  at  the  thought  of  having  at  last  reached 
whaling  ground.  Any*  change  was  welcome, 
which  would  relieve  us  of  the  monotonous  hard 
labor  which  we  had  experienced  hitherto  on  board. 

"  What  glorious  times  those  will  be,  when  we 
shall  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  but  to  steei  the 
vessel,  and  keep  a  look  out  for  whales,"  was  the 
universal  opinion.  We  shall  see  how  happy  is 
the  being  who  has  his  time  unemployed. 


WHALING    AND    FISHING. 


CHAPTER    VI 

LHK  "  Cruising  Ground  " — What  constitutes  Whale  Ground- 
How  the  Haunts  of  Whales  are  Discovered — The  Discipline 
of  a  Whaleship  on  a  cruise — Monotony  of  the  Life — Drawing 
water — Portuguese  Man-of-war — Cape  St.  Mary's,  of  Mada- 
gascar— Raising  a  Fin-back— "  There  she  blows" — A  false 
Alarm — Sperm  Whales — Preparation  for  lowering — "Going 
on  to  a  Whale  "— "  Give  it  to  him !  "—The  Whales  run— Thi 
Chase — The  last  Desperate  Effort,  and  accompanying  Mishap 
— "  Getting  stove  " — A  furious  Whale — We  are  picked  up,  and 
lose  the  Whale. 

"So  WE  are  at  last  upon  our  cruising  ground," 
said  all,  with  a  great  degree  of  satisfaction,  as 
orders  came  forward  one  evening,  that  at  sundown 
we  would  shorten  sail,  and  heave  to  for  the  night. 
It  seemed  like  a  fulfillment  of  one  purpose  of  our 
voyage,  and  as  it  made  a  break  in  the  monotony  of 
our  life,  all  hailed  the  fact  with  pleasure. 

So  much  had  been  said  of  "good  whaling 
ground,"  "cruising grounds,"  etc.,  that  even  I  was 
looking  for  some  peculiarity  in  the  color  of  the 
water,  the  strength  of  the  breeze,  or  the  quality 
of  the  atmosphere,  to  distinguish  this  from  the 
other  parts  of  the  ocean.  But  there  was  nothing 
of  the  kind.  The  sea  was  as  deeply  blue,  the 
breezes  as  gentle,  and  the  air  as  hazy  as  it  gene- 


CRUISING   GROUND.  91 

rally  is  in  those  portions  of  the  tropics  where  steady 
winds  prevail.  ''Cruising  ground"  is  a  very 
indefinitely  defined  portion  of  the  sea,  chosen  by 
each  captain  according  to  his  particular  fancy, 
or  %s  the  experience  of  previous  voyages  may 
dictate.  Our  captain  had  cruised  on  these  shores, 
and  up  the  Mozambique  channel  on  his  last 
voyage — had  met  with  tolerable  success — and  now 
returned  to  the  same  place  in  hopes  that  his  good 
fortune  would  be  renewed. 

New  cruising  grounds  are  continually  being 
discovered  by  enterprising  shipmasters,  who  steer 
boldly  for  those  parts  of  the  East  Indian  seas  but 
little  frequented  by  merchant  vessels;  and  often 
make  great  voyages.  Some  years  ago  the  captain 
of  a  New  Bedford  ship,  on  speaking  a  merchant- 
man, was  informed  that  near  a  certain  part  of  the 
coast  of  the  island  of  Ceylon,  great  numbers  of 
whales  had  been  seen  that  year.  His  vessel  was 
then  a  year  out  from  home,  and  so  poorly  had 
they  hitherto  prospered,  that,  in  whaleman's 
language,  "they  had  scarce  oil  enough  on  board  to 
grease  their  irons."  Ascertaining  the  precise  lati- 
tude  and  longitude  in  which  whales  had  been 
met,  and  judging  from  the  description  given  of 
them,  that  they  were  beyond  doubt  sperm  whales, 
the  captain  made  all  sail  for  the  place,  and  found 
whales  in  such  plenty  that  he  was  enabled  in  little 
more  than  a  year's  time,  to  fill  up  his  ship.  They 
were  mostly  cow  whales,  who  had  probably  found 
this  a  new  and  pleasant  haunt,  where  they  hoped 


32  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

to  rear  their  young  undisturbed,  with  no  one  "tc 
molest  them,  or  make  them  afraid." 

When  their  vessel  arrived  at  New  Bedford,  the 
captain  was  immediately  transferred  to  another 
ship,  and  taking  with  him  all  his  officers,  sailed 
back  to  the  scene  of  his.  good  fortune,  and  was 
successful  in  filling  his  ship  again  in  a  very  whorl 
time.  But  by  this  time  other  ships  had  gotten  on 
his  track,  and  when  he  returned  thither  on  his  third 
voyage,  he  found  the  ground  occupied  by  a  fleet, 
and  whales  scarce. 

All  kinds  of  maneuvers  are  practiced  by  whale- 
men to  conceal  their  cruising  ground,  when  they 
have,  as  in  the  above  instance,  met  with  unusually 
good  "  luck."  When  compelled  to  go  into  port  for 
water  or  "refreshments,"  (a  whaling  term,  signify- 
ing fruits  and  fresh  provisions  generally)  they  will 
make  it  a  point  to  visit  some  place  at  a  distance 
from  the  newly  discovered  ground.  If  while  in 
port  they  are  boarded  by  other  whalemer  both 
officers  and  crew  preserve  the  most  stubborn 
silence  as  to  the  location  of  their  "ground, "or  else 
give  the  inquirers  false  directions.  And  if,  as  is 
not  unlikely,  they  find  themselves  followed  wheo 
starting  on  their  return,  they  adopt  the  most 
ingenious  expedients  to  mislead  the  strangers. 

B*zt  a  secret  of  this  kind  can  scarcely  ever  be 
kept  more  than  two  voyages.  It  is  in  the  posses- 
sion of  too  many  persons,  and  too  many  keen 
eyed  whalemen  are  striving  to  fathom  it. 

Whales  are  so  persistently  chased  and   worried 


CRUISING.  93 

now-a-days,  by  the  great  fleets  which  annually  sail 
from  whaling  ports  of  the  United  States,  that  they 
often  emigrate  in  a  body,  and  change  their  locality 
by  thousands  of  miles.  So  it  happens  that  parts 
of  the  sea  which  were  years  ago  famous  cruising 
gi-junds,  are  now  entirely  deserted,  while  every 
j' ear  new  grounds  are  discovered,  and  the  enter- 
piisirg  discoverer  rewarded  with  a  full  saip,  and  a 
speed}-  clearance  for  home. 

Whilo  making  a  passage,  a  whaleship  is  managed 
much  as  merchant  vessels  are.  The  crew  is  divided 
into  two  parts  or  watches,  and  all  the  regulations  in 
regard  to  making  and  taking  in  sail,  which  prevail 
in  the  merchant  service,  are  here  also  enforced. 
But  once  on  whaling  ground,  the  whole  economy  of 
the  ship  is  changed.  Each  boat's  crew  now 
constitutes  a  watch,  of  itself,  and  the  night,  from 
six  P.  M.  to  six  A.  M.,  is  divided  between  them, 
making  in  a  four  boat  ship  three  hours  to  each. 
During  the  day  the  vessel  stands  along  under 
easy  sail,  for  days  together  tacking  and  beating 
to  windward:  then  if  no  whales  are  seen,  going 
off  before  the  wind,  or  returning  to  the  leeward 
extreme  of  that  portion  of  the  ocean  the  captain 
has  marked  out  for  his  "grounds,"  only  again  to 
bea£  slowly  back  to  the  windward  end. 

Long  tacks  are  made,  and  no  expedient  neglected 
for  making  a  thorough  survey  of  the  surface  sailed 
over  At  sundown  each  day  the  light  sails  are 
taken  in,  the  topsail  close  reefed,  and  the  vessel  ie 
then  brought  close  to  the  wind, /with  the  sails  «c 


94  W  H  A  L  I  N  (5     A  N  1)     FISHING. 

tranced  that  she  will  lie  nearly  stationary,  with 
the  helm  hard  down.  By  wearing  around  once 
or  twice  during  the  night,  the  actual  progress 
made,  spite  of  the  shortened  sail,  is  as  far  as 
possible  rendered  nugatory,  so  that  at  daylight 
the  following  morning,  when  sail  is  again  set, 
the  vessel  is  as  near  as  may  be  in  tbe  place  where 
she  was  hove  to  on  the  preceding  evening.  Thus 
a  thorough  search  is  kept  up,  two  men  being 
constantly  stationed  at  the  mast-head,  while 
frequently  the  captain  or  mate  will  sit  aloft  for 
hours  at  a  time,  keeping  an  additional  look  out. 

With  all  this  vigilance  and  precaution,  however, 
it  is  evident  that  the  search  for  whales  must  be 
something  after  the  manner  of  looking  for  a  needle 
in  a  hay-stack;  and  unless  the  cruising  ground  is 
very  limited  in  extent,  which  is  by  no  means 
always  the  case,  the  discovery  of  a  school  may  be 
properly  counted  under  the  head  of  the  chapter 
of  accidents. 

When  cruising,  the  day  is  passed  in  the  most 
utter  idleness.  All  hands  are  roused  up  at  six 
o'clock,  before  which  time  it  is  not  day  in  the 
tropics.  Those  who  had  the  last  or  morning 
watch  jump  aloft,  and  loose  the  sails  while  the 
others  are  dressing.  As  soon  as  all  hands  are 
on  deck,  every  sail  is  swayed  up.  The  masthead- 
men  then  take  their  station,  and  the  word  is 
passed  to  "wash  down,  fore  and  aft." 

After  the  decks  are  thoroughly  scrubbed,  washed 
off,  and  dried,  the  cook  announces  breakfast,  and 


DOLCE     FAR     NIENTE.  95 

with  this  the  day's  work  is  finished.  After 
breakfast  each  one  busies  himself  about  his  own 
affairs.  Some  mend  their  clothing,  some  read, 
some  play  cards,  while  yet  others  return  content- 
edly to  their  berths  and  doze  off  the  long  hours 
till  dinner  time.  The  afternoon  is  but  a  repetitiou 
of  the  forenoon,  and  with  the  exception  of  ar 
o<  casional  call  of  all  hands  to  "tack  ship;"  and 
the  necessary  shortening  sail  at  sunset,  no  one  is 
called  upon  for  labor  of  any  kind. 

We  had  looked  forward  to  this  period  with 
anticipations  of  great  pleasure — over  worked  as 
the  crew  was,  on  the  entire  outward  passage. 
But  man  tires  of  nothing  so  quickly  as  a  state  of 
inactivity,  and  so  we  were  not  a  week  upon  the 
whaling  ground,  ere  every  one  complained  of  the 
weary  monotony  of  such  a  life.  Every  one,  that 
is  to  say,  except  our  Portuguese.  These  seemed 
to  be  perfectly  contented  and  happy.  They  had 
brought  with  them  upon  this  voyage  most  of  the 
clothing  used  by  them  on  the  voyage  before,  and 
had  consequently  much  more  mending,  patching 
and  quilting  to  do  than  the  rest:  more  therefore,  to 
engage  mind  and  hands.  And  then,  they  had  each 
undergone  already  one  long  voyage  of  ennui  and 
their  spirits  were  broken  to  it.  By  the  time  we  had 
gotten  a  month's  experience  of  the  cruising  ground, 
I  no  longer  wondered  at  the  wandering,  lack-luster 
look,  the  shuffling  walk,  and  awkward  appearance 
generally,  of  your  regular  old  whaleman.  His 
mind  has  been  gradually  killed  out  by  lack  of  use 


96  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

In  the  routine  of  duty,  while  cruising,  the 
labor  of  drawing  water  for  the  matin  washing 
rf  the  decks,  is  the  most  severe  that  is  performed 
i.t  seems  to  be  a  principle  in  the  whaling  service 
that  as  there  is  exceedingly  little  work  to  be  done 
that  little  should  be  made  as  laborious  as  possible, 
as  a  means  of  making  the  crew  more  contented 
in  their  leisure  hours.  Instead,  therefore,  of 
providing  a  head-pump,  by  means  of  which  water 
could  be  pumped  up  from  along  -side,  it  is  all 
drawn  up  by  men  stationed  at  the  side  for  that 
purpose.  This  is  exhausting  labor,  under  any 
circumstances;  but  doubly  severe  when,  as  is  often 
the  case,  the  breeze  is  light,  and  the  ship  scarcely 
under  headway.  Under  such  circumstances  the 
swinging  of  the  huge  awkward  canvas  bucket 
requires  an  outlay  of  strength  which  soon  becomes 
a  positive  torture. 

It  was  shortly  after  our  arrival  upon  the 
cruising  ground  that,  being  one  morning  over  the 
side,  drawing  water,  I  for  the  first  time  experienced 
the  effects  of  the  poison  contained  in  the  nettle-like 
stings  of  the  nautilus.  It  was  a  beautiful  morning, 
and  as  is  their  wont  at  such  times,  the  little 
argonauts  had  their  sails  spread,  and  could  be 
seen  in  all  directions,  careering  gallantly  over 
the  waves.  By  accident  I  caught  one  little  fellow 
in  my  bucket,  and  in  emptying  him  out,  the  mass 
of  jelly  (they  are  mere  balls  of  jelly-like  fibre) 
fell  upon  my  bared  arm.  It  was  instantly  washed 
off,  but  too  late  to  save  me  from  the  sting. 


CAPE  ST.  MARY'S.  97 

J  TI  a  short  time  my  arm  assumed  a  purple  color, 
and  became  slightly  swollen.  At  first  I  experi- 
enced a  titillating  sensation,  which,  however,  soon 
changed  to  a  violent  throbbing  pain,  and  shortly 
a  lump  about  as  large  as  a  peach  appeared  undei 
my  arm-pit.  The  pain  lasted  about  an  hour,  when 
it  gradually  subsided,  and  in  two  hours  more,  all 
evidences  of  the  poison  had  disappeared. 

It  was  the  intention  of  our  captain  to  make  the 
coast  of  Madagascar,  about  Cape  St.  Mary's,  its 
southern  extremity ;  and  taking  thence  a  fresh 
departure,  to  cruise  slowly  up  the  Mozambique 
channel.  Accordingly,  a  few  days  after  we  had 
entered  upon  our  regular  cruising  tactics,  the  cry 
of  "  Land  ho ! "  broke  upon  the  dull  monotony  of 
our  life,  and  in  a  few  hours  we  were  close  to  a 
bold,  barren  bluff,  which  we  were  informed  was 
the  southern  extremity  of  Madagascar.  I  viewed 
it  with  a  great  deal  of  interest,  for  it  was  a  land 
I  had  long  desired  to  see,  having  while  yet  at 
home,  read  much  of  its  inhabitants,  of  its  good 
king  Radama,  and  of  the  persecutions  suffered  by 
the  missionaries  and  native  Christians,  after  his 
death. 

Standing  *ff  again,  after  approaching  sufficiently 
near  to  see  distinctly  all  objects  on  the  shore  which, 
however,  was  to  all  appearance  entirely  desert, 
the  vessel  was  now  headed  for  the  coast  of  Africa, 
distant  from  this  point  of  Madagascar  about  one 
Yundred  and  seventy  miles. 

Bach  day  the  officers  now  became  more  ar  xi  ous 
7 


98  WHALING    AND     PISHING. 

to  see  whales.  It  is  quite  usual  with  whalemen^ 
at  least  to  meet  with  whales  on  their  outward 
passage,  and  not  at  all  uncommon  to  take  some 
valuable  prizes  before  reaching  the  regulai 
cruising  grounds.  Up  to  this  time,  however,  we 
Lad  not  yet  seen  a  spout,  except  that  of  an  occa- 
sional black-fish  or  finback,  and  had  not  succeeded 
in  capturing  even  a  porpoise.  We  were  now 
three  months  out  and  had  not  yet  on  board  oil 
enough  to  keep  a  lamp  alight  in  the  forecastle — a 
sad  prospect  for  men  to  whom  oil  is  the  represen- 
tative of  dollars,  and  blubber,  of  the  native  ore. 

"Five  dollars"  said  the  captain,  one  morning 
as  the  men  repaired  to  the  mastheads,  "  to  the  man 
that  raises  a  sperm  whale  spout." 

"  I'll  put  three  pounds  of  tobacco  to  that,"  spoke 
up  the  mate. 

"And  I  a  bunch  of  cigars,"  said  the  second  mate. 

This  set  every  one  agog,  and  after  breakfast  the 
rigging  and  mastheads  were  crowded  with  men, 
eager  to  win  the  promised  reward. 

But  it  was  not  on  that  day,  nor  the  next,  that 
we  were  to  fall  in  with  the  objects  of  our  search. 
Not  till  we  had  been  two  weeks  upon  the  ground, 
did  we  see  a  spout  of  any  kind.  v  Then  one 
forenoon,  a  shrill,  discordant  scream,  of  "  there ! 
»he!  blows!*'  from  the  fore-masthead,  proclaimed 
that  somebody  thought  himself  entitled  to  the 
promised  reward. 

All  hands  rushed  upon  deck,  and  the  captain 
and  mate  were  half  way  to  the  royal  masthead 


THERE     SHE     BLOWS  99 

•re  the  repetition  although  in  a  very  moderate 
tone,  of  the  first  cry,  assured  them  that  there  was 
in  reality  a  spout  seen.  Casting  his  eyes  in  the 
direction  indicated  by  the  masthead-man,  the 
mate  exclaimed  at  once,  with  a  disappointed 
growl, 

"  It's  a  fin-hack,  you  leather-head,  there's  no 
prize  offered  for  such." 

"I  told  him  so,"  grumbled  the  boatsteerer  who 
stood  at  the  main-masthead,  "  but  he  would  not 
believe  anything  I  said,  thinking  I  wanted  to  claim 
the  prize  for  myself." 

Two  days  thereafter,  as  the  mate  stepped  into 
the  rigging,  at  daybreak,  to  take  a  preliminary 
survey,  he  shouted,  in  the  utmost  excitement, 
"there  blows!  there!  there  blows!!  by  the  great 
horn  spoon,  boys  I  a  whole  school  just  under  our 
lee  bow." 

All  hands  were  upon  deck  in  a  moment,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  crew  at  once  jumped  into  the 
rigging,  anxious  to  see  at  last  a  veritable  sperm 
whale  spout,  and  half  prepared  from  the  mate's 
excited  manner,  to  see  the  whales  themselves 
close  aboard. 

About  two  miles  and  a  half  off,  on  our  lee  bow, 
a  small  school  of  what  the  captain,  examining 
them  with  a  good  telescope,  declared  to  be  large 
whales,  lay  disporting  themselves  on  the  waves, 
now  lazily  rolling" fin  up,"  now  "lob-tailing,'1 
now  making  the  white  water  fly,  as  they  threw 
their  vast  bodies  clear  of  their  native  element 


100  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

Sail  was  immediately  made  upon  the  ship,  and 
then,  while  the  masthead-men  with  the  captain, 
kept  up  the  musical  cry  of  "there  blows!"  varied 
occasionally  by  such  ejaculations  as  "  there's 
white  water  !  " — "  there  he  lob-tails  !  " — "  there  he 
breaches ! "  we  hurriedly  prepared  the  boats  for  the 
day's  work  before  us.  Line  tubs  were  placed,  and 
lines  bent  on,  iron  sheaths  taken  off,  and  a  last  whet- 
ting given  to  the  irons^  boats'  gripes  cast  adrift, 
and  oars  loosened  and  laid  in  their  proper  places, 
water  kegs  filled,  boat  sails  unlashed,  and  all  the 
various  minutiffi  duly  attended  to  which  experience 
has  proven  necessary  for  such  occasions.  All  was 
life  and  bustle,  and  the  stagnant  pools  of  our  blood 
were  once  more  enlivened  by  a  little  real  excite- 
ment. 

"There  goes  flukes!"  from  the  masthead, 
proclaimed  the  close  of  the  first  scene  of  the  day's 
drama,  and  immediately  thereafter, 

"Breakfast  all  of  you,"  from  the  cook,  caused 
each  man  to  rush  hurriedly  to  the  galley  for  his 
quota  of  hot  slop  —  coffee  it  is  called  by  courtesy, 
but  no  one  who  had  ever  drunk  Mocha,  Java,  or 
Rio,  would  own  it  to  be  such. 

Hastily  washing  down  a  couple  of  biscuits  with 
this  preparation,  we  were  ready  for  the  word  to 
"  man  the  boats,"  and  were  at  the  side  as  soon  as 
the  captain  showed  his  head  above  the  gangway. 

"Stand  by  to  lower  away,  you  ship-keepers," 
wa?  the  word  now,  and  we  prepared  to  follow  the 


MAN     OVEBBOARD.  101 

boats  down  as  they  were  lowered,  ready  to  leap 
into  them  as  soon  as  they  shoild  strike  the 
water. 

In  attempting  this  feat,  one  of  the  second  mate's 
3rew  mistook  the  distance,  and  fell  into  the  water, 
from  which  he  was  fished  up,  sputtering  and 
shivering,  receiving  from  the  captain  the  consola- 
tory advice  to  "  never  mind  that,  as  it  was  all  clean 
water  down  there." 

It  was  a  beautiful  morning.  There"  was  just 
enough  of  breeze  to  make  the  sails  of  more  use 
than  the  oars,  and  sufficient  sea  to  admit  of  an 
easy  approach  to  w  whale.  The  glorious  sunrise, 
such  a  scene  as  is  to  be  witnessed  only  in  the 
tropics,  the  balmy  air,  and  the  unwonted  excite- 
ment, all  united  to  put  us  in  excellent  spirits, 
and  many  a  joke  was  exchanged  on  prospective 
mishaps,  as  we  put  up  our  boat  sails  and  set  out 
for  the  scene  of  action. 

The  position  which  each  of  the  four  boats  was 
to  take  had  been  previously  arranged,  and  as  the 
whales  had  not  appeared  to  be  in  motion  when 
first  seen,  it  was  supposed  that  they  would  rise 
not  far  from  the  place  where  they  had  gone  down. 
Accordingly,  when  we  judged  ourselves  within 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  this  spot  we  hove  to 
our  boat,  preferring  to  remain  at  that  distance  to 
windward,  as  it  would  be  easy  enough  to  sail  down, 
but  more  difficult  to  pull  up,  d  id  we  fall  to  leeward. 
The  other  boats  were  shortly  hove  to  likewise,  and 


102  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

QOW  we  lay  in  silence,  awaiting  the  reappearance 
of  our  prey. 

Every  eye  and   ear  was  on  the  alert,  ready   to 
( atch  the  slightest  motion  or  sound ;  for  none  could 
tell  how  soon  the  school  would  make  their  appear 
ance  at  the  surface. 

"I  thought  I  heard  a  spout,"  said  the  boat- 
steerer  in  a  whisper.  In  his  eagerness  he  had 
gotten  upon  the  bow  chock,  anxiously  peering 
over  the  waves  as  the  boat  was  lifted  upon  the 
swell.  A  moment's  silent  listening  convinced 
him  that  it  was  nothing  but  a  sea-break,  and  we 
again  strained  our  eyes  for  the  expected  sight. 

"  There  blows ! — I  told  you  I  would  see  him 
first,"  said  the  mate,  joyfully,  as  he  pointed  to  a 
thin  bushy  spray  just  melting  out  of  sight. 

"There  blows  again!"  cried  the  boatsteerer, 
adding  in  a  somewhat  mortified  tone,  "  I  was 
looking  another  way,  or  I  should  have  seen  it 
first." 

" There,  and  there — and  there — there  blows! — 
there  are  seven  or  eight  big  whales — I  can  see 
them  now  from  my  place,"  continued  Barnard, 
the  boatsteerer,  whom  I  was  yet  holding  up  on 
the  bow  chock,  the  dancing  motion  of  the  boat 
making  it  impossible  for  him  to  maintain  that 
position  unsupported. 

"  Sit  down  now,  and  we'll  sail  slowly  down 
toward  them ;  I  want  to  see  in  what  direction  they 
are  going  to  stand." 

We  were  nearest  to  the  fish,  and  it  was  evident 


"GOING    ON."  103 

that  no  other  boat  but  ours,  could  approach  them 
favorably. 

;<  Pull  a  little,"  said  the  mate. 

We  shot  her  rapidly  ahead  with  the  oars  for  a 
few  strokes,  and  then  peaked  them  again,  tho 
boat  making  good  headway  under  her  sail  alone. 

We  could  now  hear  them  spout,  and  when  a 
hsavy  swell  would  come  rolling  home,  would  fancy 
we  could  hear  their  huge  bodies  burrowing 
through  the  water.  It  was  a  time  of  intense 
excitement. 

"  We'll  have  to  stand  across  a  little,  in  order  to 
gel  up  behind  them,"  said  the  mate ;  it  being 
impossible  to  approach  a  sperm  whale  unperceived 
from  the  side. 

After  making  a  little  detour,  we  again  stood 
toward  the  school,  and  the  mate  singled  out  one 
huge  fellow  nearest  us,  and  happily  the  largest  of 
the  school,  as  our  prize. 

Each  individual  of  the  crew  had  received  from 
the  mate,  on  first  lowering,  some  final  instructions 
as  to  his  especial  duties,  in  case  we  should  get  fast; 
and  we  now  sat  stock  still  in  the  boat,  oars  firmly 
grasped  and  ready  for  instantaneous  use,  and 
scarce  breathing  from  excitement  We  were  fast 
overtaking  his  whaleship. 

Now  the  hoarse  bellow,  as  he  ejected  the  water 
from  his  spout  holes,  grew  louder,  and  looking 
over  my  shoulder  as  the  boat  was  lifted  on  a 
mighty  swell,  1  saw  the  huge  form  of  leviathan, 
stupidly  rolling  in  the  waves. 


104  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

"Stand  up,  you  sir,"  the  mate  whispers  to  the 
ooateteerer, — a  needless  command,  as  that  worthy 
has  not  yet  sat  down,  and  now  stands  with  iron 
poised  in  hand,  and  knee  resting  firmly  on  the 
lubber  chock,  ready  for  action. 

"Pull  a  little,  starboard." 

The  boat  is  laid  round,  to  get  a  fairer  chance. 

Now  she  rises  on  a  wave  and  the  fish  seems 
almost  under  us,  and  now — 

"Grive  it  to  him,  you  sir!" 

"And  the  other  one!!" 

A  heavy  stroke  of  his  flukes,  which  drenched 
us  with  spray,  and  the  instantaneous  whiz  of  the 
line  through  the  chock,  told  that  we  were  "  fast." 

"  Hurrah ! "  shouted  the  glad  boatsteerer,  "wet 
line!  wet  line!  don't  you  see  it  smoking  in  the 
chock?" 

Flake  after  flake  of  the  line  rushed  overboard, 
with  a  rapidity  almost  beyond  conception;  one 
tub  was  already  empty,  and  half  the  other  was 
gone  before  a  little  slacking  in  the  speed  of  its  exit 
gave  us  to  understand  that  the  whale  had  "gone 
his  length,"  and  was  now  probably  returning  to 
the  surface :  an  operation  which  would  take  out 
line  nearly  as  fast  as  the  first  sounding,  were  it 
not  that  it  is  held  back  by  several  turns  about  the 
loggerhead  in  the  stern.  The  mate  had  meantime 
taken  his  place  in  the  bow,  and  the  lances  were 
out,  and  lying  in  their  rests  when  the  whale 
reappeared  on  the  surface  some  ship -lengths  ahead, 
leaping  nearly  his  entire  length  out  of  the  water, 


LANCING    A    WHALE.  105 

and  falling  back  with  a  report  like  distant  thunder, 
and  a  splash  which  for  the  moment  threatened  to 
fill  the  boat. 

"  Haul  in  slack  line,  boys,  let's  get  up  to  him. 
There  he  lies,  quite  still ;  take  your  oars  and  pull 
up." 

But  the  weight  of  the  line  hanging  overboard 
rendered  t  impossible  to  manage  her,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  get  this  in  first.  By  this  time  the 
whale  was  slowly  forging  ahead,  evidently  scarcely 
knowing  what  course  of  action  would  be  most 
politic  under  the  circumstances. 

"Now  haul  up." 

Having  gotten  a  strain  on  the  line,  we  pulled 
the  boat  on.  But  just  as  we  got  within  dart,  the 
whale  again  sounded — not  deep  however, — and 
when  he  reappeared,  the  rest  of  the  school  were 
with  him,  and  they  were  going  off  at  the  rate  of 
SBveral  miles  per  hour,  of  course  taking  us  with 
/hem. 

Now  however,  we  hauled  the  boat  up,  and  the 
mate  sent  a  lance  quivering  into  his  flesh — but  not 
into  a  fatal  part,  as  we  could  not  get  far  enough 
in  advance  of  our  fish  to  afford  a  fair  chance. 

"With  a  splash  of  his  flukes,  the  whale  sonnded 
again,  and  commenced  running  under  water,  a 
proceeding  which  was  kept  up  during  the  whole 
of  a  chase  which  lasted  from  this  time— about 
half  past  eight — till  after  four  Vclock,  when 
occurred  the  catastrophe  which  ivound  up  our 
day's  sport. 


106  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

The  whales — there  were  seven  in  all — ran  to  the 
leeward,  that  is  to  say,  in  a  direction  parallel  to 
what  of  the  wind :  contrary  to  their  usual  practice 
in  such  cases,  which  ^s  to  s';art  at  once  right  in 
'.be  teeth  of  the  breeze. 

While  their  present  course  made  it  much  easier 
for  the  boats  to  follow  and  perhaps  catch  up  with 
us,  it  much  increased  the  difficulty  of  our  approach, 
for  the  purpose  of  lancing,  as  in  such  cases  much 
care  is  requisite,  else  would  the  boat  be  dashed 
upon  the  whale  by  the  billows  which  bore  her 
onward. 

We  had,  however,  lanced  but  twice — both  times 
ineffectually — when  the  fish  increased  their  speed 
to  seven  or  eight  miles  per  hour,  and  running 
almost  continually  under  water,  it  was  altogether 
impossible  to  reach  our  whale  with  the  lance,  even 
had  we  been  able  to  get  the  boat  sufficiently  near 
to  him. 

On,  on,  on  we  swept,  the  other  boats,  with  sails 
and  oars,  pulling  might  and  main  to  catch  up  with 
us,  and  the  ship,  with  every  rag  of  canvas  set, 
bringing  up  the  rear. 

Whenever  there  seemed  a  possibility  of  reach- 
ing the  whale,  the  boat  was  hauled  up  and  a  lanco 
duly  hurled  at  him; but  with  little  eifect,  as  his 
small  was  the  part  most  generally  hit,  and  each 
wound  seemed  only  to  add  to  his  speed.  This  was 
soon  such  as  that — the  breeze  having  to  somo 
degree  failed — we  were  fast  dropping  ship  and 
boats  in  the  distance. 


THE     RACE.  107 

At  one  o'clock,  by  the  sun,  we  ate  our  dinner, 
consisting  of  a  biscuit  and  a  pint  of  water  per 
man — vowing  internally,  and  taking  our  empty 
stomachs  to  witness,  never  again  to  get  into  a 
whaleboat  without  previously  filling  our  pockets 
with  provisions. 

At  two  we  saw  the  last  of  the  boats,  and  shortly 
afterward  the  royals  of  our  ship  faded  away  in 
the  dim  distance,  leaving  us  quite  alone  with  oui 
huge  friends,  who  were  still  going  along  at  the 
same  rapid  pace,  and  puffing  away  like  so  many 
Mississippi  steamers. 

On,  on,  on,  we  were  borne,  seemingly  as  though 
never  to  stop.  Now  the  school  would  slack  a  lit- 
tle in  their  speed,  and  we  would  haul  up  to  lance. 
Then  they  would  start  up  again,  and  for  half  an 
hour  at  a  time  we  would  sit  still,  singing  songs,  or 
devising  plans  whereby  we  might  circumvent  our 
wary  enemy. 

"  Be  jabers,  it  is  much  better  to  sit  here  idle, 
than  to  be  sweating  at  the  oars,  as  the  other  boys 
are  doing,"  said  an  Irish  Yankee,  who  pulled  the 
tub  oar.  "  An,  be  gorra,  it's  our  first  whale,  any 
how,  let  them  talk  as  they  will." 

"  It's  not  our  whale  till  we  kill  him,  Paddy; 
they  don't  count  whales  till  they  are  tried  out  and 
stowed  down,"  remarked  the  mate. 

"  If  that's  the  case,"  was  the  answer,  "  it's  time 
we  were  getting  a  nearer  view  of  him  than  we've 
had  yet." 

The  mate  evidently  thought  so  too.    Wearied 


108  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

with  waiting  for  a  favorable  opportunity,  about 
four  o'clock  it  was  determined  to  make  a  desper- 
ate effort,  running  every  risk  for  the  sake  of  get 
fcing  a  dart  at  the  whale's  life. 

"  Pull  the  boat  up,"  said  the  mate,  with  an  air 
which  showed  that  something  was  to  be  done. 

"  Now  Charley,"  to  the  present  writer,  "hang  on 
to  the  line,  and  don't  slack  till  I  give  the  word. 
Take  it  out  of  the  chock,  and  let  her  shoot  ahead 
by  the  bow  cleat." 

"  Lay  the  boat  around," — to  the  boat-steerer. 
This  maneuver  gave  us  a  better  chance,  and  a 
lance  was  sent  quivering  into  his  body.  A  stroke 
of  his  flukes  on  the  water  just  ahead  of  us,  was 
the  quick  reply. 

"  Hold  on  tight — don't  drop  her  an  inch  astern," 
cried  the  mate,  as  the  whale  came  to  almost  a 
dead  stop. 

"  Now  I'll  get  a  .set  on  you ! "  he  muttered 
between  his  clenched  teeth,  as  the  boat  shot  up 
against  his  broad  side.  He  placed  his  lance  fairly, 
and  sent  it  home,  with  the  whole  weight  of  his 
body.  As  it  touched  his  life,  the  whale  dashed 
down  head  first,  in  the  motion  striking  his  flukes 
against  the  boat's  bottom,  and  breaking  two  or 
three  planks.  No  sooner  had  he  felt  her,  how- 
ever, than  turning  with  lightning  speed,  he  re* 
turned  to  the  surface  head  foremost,  open-mouth^, 
striking  and  thrusting  with  his  long,  slender  jaw 
as  though  it  were  a  sword.  One  blow  from  this 
jaw  stove  in  the  whole  bow  of  the  boat,  and  she 


THE     CATASTROPHE.  109 

filled  and  turned  over,  almost  before  we  could  leap 
Into  the  water.- 

To  grasp  oars,  and  whatever  else  would  float, 
•iras  the  first  act  of  each,  on  finding  himself  over- 
board. The  mate  in  a  few  minutes  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  bottom  of  the  wrecked  boat,  and  with 
his  assistance  the  rest  gathered  there,  each  keep- 
ing in  his  hand  an  oar  to  assist  him  when,  as  fre- 
quently occured,  a  sea  larger  than  usual  swept  ua 
from  our  narrow  perch. 

The  first  glance  about  us  disclosed  to  us  our 
antagonist,  lying  at  the  distance  of  a  short  oar's 
length  from  the  boat,  side  and  side  with  us.  He  was 
spouting  thin  blood,  and  the  disagreeable  thought 
suggested  itself  at  once  to  several  of  us,  "  Sup- 
pose he  goes  into  his  flurry  while  we  are  lying 
here  helpless." 

"We  must  hope  for  the  best,  boys,  and  mean- 
time look  out  for  the  boats  and  the  sharks,"  was 
the  mate's  answer  to  this  suggestion.  "  But  if  he 
goes  off  in  a  flurry,  you  need  none  of  you  expect 
to  see  your  mamma's  again." 

When  we  had  hoisted  a  shirt  upon  a  lance-pole, 
as  a  signal  of  distress,  and  lashed  three  oars  across 
tho  boat,  to  keep  her  from  continually  rolling 
over  barrel  fashion,  we  found  ourselves  at  the 
eud  of  our  resources,  and  had  leisure  to  look  our 
fale  in  the  face.  It  is  needless  to  describe  how 
anxiously  we  watched  each  motion  of  the  whale — 
how  the  color  of  his  spouts  was  critically  dis- 
cussed, and  every  spasmodic  twitch  of  his  flukeg 


110  WHALING    AND     Fl  S  H  1  N  G  . 

was  thought  portentous  of  evil.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  fortunately  for  us,  the  mate  s  lance  had  not 
touched  him  in  any  very  vulnerable  spot,  and  that 
after  lying  for  half  an  hour  side  by  side  with  the 
boat,  and  for  another  half  hour  in  such  a  position 
that  with  every  swell  our  boat's  sharp  stern  rub- 
hed  against  his  side,  just  as  the  sun  sank  bcluw 
the  horizon  he  turned  flukes,  and  to  our  great 
relief,  came  up  at  a  distance  from  us  of  some  half 
dozen  ship's  lengths.  It  should  have  been  before 
mentioned,  that  from  the  moment  when  our  boat 
was  stove,  all  the  other  whales  who  had  till  then 
borne  us  company,  disappeared,  and  we  saw  them 
no  more. 

Scarcely  had  "  our  whale  "  risen  to  the  surface, 
when  we  descried  a  boat-sail  at  but  a  short  dis- 
tance off.  It  was  fast  growing  dark,  as  there  is 
scarcely  any  twilight  in  those  latitudes,  so  that  it 
was  with  no  ordinary  joy  we  hailed  the  approach 
of  what  proved  to  be  the  Captain's  boat. 

"  Are  you  all  there  ?  "  he  asked,  as  he  came 
within  hail. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Well,  just  hang  on  there  till  I  kill  your  whale." 
was  the  cool  rejoinder.  Saying  which,  he  turned 
the  boat  toward  the  fish.  She  had  scarcely  got- 
ten within  two  boat's  lengths  cf  him  when,  snap 
ping  his  jaws  together  with  a  sharp  report  which 
showed  that  his  ire  was  fully  roused,  the  whale 
made  for  the  boat. 

"  Stern  all !  back  water  for  your  lives  !  !  "  cried 


AN     ANGRY     WHALE.  Ill 

the  captain,  slipping  the  sheet ;  and  fortunately, 
just  in  time  to  escape  the  angry  rush  of  the  whalej 
who  glided  beneath  the  surface,  and  rose  again  at 
a  short  distance  astern. 

The  boat  was  laid  round,  and  a  few  strokes  of 
the  oars  brought  her  again  within  his  reach,  when 
he  repeated  his  former  action,  and  it  was  only  by 
the  most  strenuous  exertion  that  the  crew  suc- 
ceeded in  backing  out  of  his  track.  This  time, 
however,  the  boatsteerer  had  managed  to  plant 
an  iron  in  him,  and  a  shout  announced  that  he  was 
not  given  up  yet.  Eut  a  groan  of  disappointment 
succeeded  the  shout,  as  the  line  suddenly  slack- 
ening, announced  that  the  iron  had  drawn,  and 
the  whale  was  "  loose,"  going  off  with  two  irons 
and  two  tubs  of  line  fast  to  him,  and  spouting 
blood  at  that. 

It  was  now  quite  dark,  and  we  were  not  sorry 
to  be  taken  off  our  wreck  into  the  captain's  boat. 
Meantime  the  other  two  boats  and  the  ship  had 
neared  us,  and  after  half  an  hour's  pulling  we 
arrived  on  board,  where  a  good  supper,  (for  a 
whaleship),  awaited  us. 

"  Well,  Paddy,"  said  the  mate  next  morning,  aa 
we  were  washing  down  the  deckg,  "  what  wiil  y  n 
take  for  your  share  of  our  first  u\ale  ?  " 


112  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

a  new  Boat — We  raise  Whales  again — Our  Boat  geti 
fast— The  Whale  takes  out  the  Line— The  Mate  despairs- 
Sunset— The  third  Mate  refastens  —  The  Mate  kills  the 
Whale—"  There's  Blood  "—The  Flurry— Getting  a  Fish  along 
side— Cutting  in— Wrenching  off  the  Head— The  Teeth— The 
Junk  —  The  Case — Extraordinary  gathering  of  Sharks  — 
Their  Rapacity — Trying  out— Horse-pieces — Blanket-pieces — 
Mincing — Division  of  Labor — A  Night  Scene — Nauseating 
Labor — Picking  out  fat-lean — Stowing  down  the  Oil — Clear- 
ing up  Decks. 

OUR  first  labor,  on  the  following  morning,  was 
to  fit  a  new  boat,  to  replace  the  one  lost  the  day 
before.  There  were,  as  before  mentioned,  three 
spare  boats  overhead,  and  one  of  these  was  now 
turned  over,  and  swung  to  the  davits.  It  required 
the  labor  of  several  days  from  our  boat's  crew,' 
ere  we  were  once  more  so  comfortably  fitted  as 
in  our  old  boat.  There  were  lines  to  be  stretched 
and  coiled,  and  re-coiled.  There  were  irons  and 
lances  to  be  ground  sharp,  and  fixed  to  their  poles. 
There  were  numberless  little  beckets  and  cleats 
to  be  nailed  and  fastened  in  numberless  little  out 
of  the  way  nooks  and  crevices  about  the  bow  and 
stern.  There  were  thole-pins  and  thole-pin  mats 
to  fit.  There  was  a  boat-spade,  and  boat-hatchet, 


FITTING     A     NEW     BOAT.  113 

and  boat-compass,  and  water-breaker,  ^nd  boat- 
sail,  and  divers  nameless  little  necessaries  to  pro- 
vide and  fit. 

To  see  all  these  articles  lying  together  upon 
deck,  before  they  were  placed  in  the  new  boat,  one 
would  scarcely  have  believed  that  one  little  whale 
boat  would  contain  them,  and  her  crew  of  six  full- 
sized  men  into  the  bargain. 

We  made  all  possible  haste  with  our  new  boat, 
that  we  might  not  be  left  on  board,  should  whales 
be  seen.  Our  shipmates  had  laughed  at  us  on 
account  of  our  mishap,  and  we  felt  therefore  anx- 
ious to  retrieve  our  credit,  by  a  more  successful 
stroke.  There  can  be  no  one  more  ready  to  suc- 
cor the  really  distressed,  nor  any  kinder  sympa- 
thizer in  affliction,  or  more  faithful  nurse  to  the 
sick,  than  the  sailor.  But  a  long  familiarity  with 
danger  hardens  him  to  it,  and  no  one  gets  credit 
for  being  accidentally  placed  in  an  awkward  or 
helpless  position. 

Had  any  one  of  our  crew  been  injured  by  the 
blow  of  the  whale  which  destroyed  our  boat,  that 
individual  would  have  met  with  the  kindest  of 
treatment  from  every  soul  on  board.  And  when 
the  captain's  boat's  crew  saw  us  lying  helpless  on 
the  remnant  of  the  boat,  nothing  'jould  have 
equaled  the  heartiness  with  which  they  pulled  to 
our  rescue.  But  when  it  was  once  found  that  we 
were  in  no  immediate  danger,  the  sympathy  which 
they  were  prepared  to  extend  to  us  vanished,  and 
was  replaced  at  once  by  a  desire  to  laugh  at  the 
8 


114  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

ludicrous  figures  we  presented,  clinging  Like  hull 
drowned  rats  to  the  wreck.  This  was  exempli 
fied  by  a  half  laugh  which  followed  the  captain's 
words  to  us,  "  Well,  you  may  stay  theie  a  hit  I* 
while." 

On  our  return  on  board,  we  were  unmercifully 
quizzed,  and  any  lurking  desire  to  have  ourselves 
considered  the  heroes  of  the  day,  was  nipped  in 
the  bud  by  numerous  inquiries  as  to  whether  salt 
water  bathing  was  likely  to  restore  us  to  health 
and  vigor ;  whether  any  one  had  ventured  to  ride 
on  whale-back ;  whether  any  one  had  thought  of 
making  a  propitiatory  offering  to  the  whales ;  or 
whether  we  had  not  wished  ourselves  safe  at  home, 
"tied  to  mamma's  apron-strings." 

"  Never  mind,  boys,"  said  Barnard,  the  boat- 
steerer,  to  us,  "  we'll  show  them  how  to  kill  the 
next  whale,  and  give  them  a  chance  to  laugh 
another  way." 

And  we  were  fully  determined  to  do  so. 

It  was  not  many  days  before  we  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  put  in  practice  our  determination.  The 
officers  were  very  anxious  to  take  at  least  one 
whale  before  we  should  fall  in  with  any  of  the 
vessels  then  known  to  be  cruising  in  the  Mozam- 
bique Channel,  in  order  to  retrieve  by  that  the 
late  mishap,  as  well  as  to  have  it  to  say  that  we 
had  made  a  fair  beginning.  Every  day,  there- 
fore, the  mastheads  and  upper  yards  were  crowded 
with  eager  lookers  out,  determined  to  let  no  spout 
or  blackskin  escape  their  keen  gazt 


LOWERING   ON    A   ROUGH    PAY.  115 

It  was  about  a  week  after  our  mishap,  thai 
whales  were  raised,  little  more  than  a  mile  to  v\  ind  • 
ward.  There  was  a  fresh  breeze,  and  more  *»c>% 
than  a  boat  could  be  comfortably  pulled  against. 
But  at  this  time  we  would  have  "  lowered  "  in  a 
gale  of  wind.  Moreover,  a  moderately  rough  day, 
such  as  this  was,  is  considered  a  much  better  wha- 
ling time  than  when  there  is  little  wind  and  a 
smooth  sea;  as  it  has  been  found  that  whales  will 
not  run  so  fast,  and  oftentimes  will  not  run  at  all, 
thus  becoming  an  easy  prey. 

The  whales  —  three  in  number — were  slowly 
drifting  to  leeward.  They  were  discovered  about 
ten  o'clock,  A.  M.  We  worked  the  ship  to  wind- 
ward until  one  o'clock,  keeping  well  ahead  of 
them,  and  then,  having  gotten  into  what  was  con- 
sidered a  favorable  position,  took  advantage  of 
their  sounding,  to  "  lower." 

"  ]STow,  my  lads,"  said  the  mate  to  us,  after  we 
were  some  distance  from  the  ship,  "  if  we  do  not 
get  fast  and  kill  our  whale  to-day,  I  shall  think 
we  have  not  done  our  duty  ;  and  if  we  do,  you'll 
have  a  bunch  of  cigars  each." 

He  could  not  have  spoken  more  to  the  point, 
and  the  crew  looked  a  determination  to  "  put  him 
on  "  to  the  first  fish  that  showed  himself. 

The  breeze  was  so  strong  when  we  left  the  ves 
del,  that  she   could  hardly  carry  her  main  top- 
gallant sail.      Yet  when  we  had  pulled  the  boat 
to  the   spot  near   which   the   whales    were    ex- 
pected to  rise,  we  set  our  little  boat-sail,  a  mere 


ift  WHALING     AND      FISHING. 

haL  ikerchief,  as  it  were,  and  the  lively  boal 
danoed  merrily  over  the  waves,  taking  in  not  a 
drop  of  water.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  buoyancy 
of  oire  of  these  little  cockle  shells.  From  theii 
peculiar  build  and  shape,  they  are  especially 
calculated  to  withstand  a  seaway ;  and  there  are 
instances  on  record  which  prove  that  a  whale- 
boat,  rightly  managed,  (which  however,  requires 
great  Ekrll  and  unceasing  vigilance)  will  live  in  a 
gale  of  wind  in  which  many  large  ships  shall 
make  vory  uncomfortable  weather. 

"Thero  he  blows,"  sung  out  the  boatsteerer, 
pointing  U  a  white  spout  on  our  left,  and  nearest 
the  second  and  third  mates'  boats,  which  were  for 
this  time  cruising  in  company,  the  fourth  mate 
being  not  fttr  from  us. 

"It's  their  chance,"  said  the  mate  with  some- 
thing of  disappointment  in  his  voice,  and  we 
prepared  to  look  on  at  their  maneuvers,  trusting 
to  fonune  tor  an  opportunity  for  ourselves-  after- 
ward. 

But  by  the  time  the  other  two  boats  had  been 
pulled  around  so  as  to  approach  the  whales  from 
ahead  —a  matter  requiring  in  such  a  seaway, 
some  time — they  had  already  sounded  again. 

For  some  half-dozen  risings  we  were  thus  held 
in  suspense.  Sometimes  it  was  our  chance,  some- 
times that  of  the  others,  but  at  no  time  did  the 
fish  remain  on  the  surface  a  sufficient  length  of 
time  to  give  us  a  fair  opportunity  for  getting  fast. 

The  ship  had  been  worked  to  windward  all  the 


FAST     A3AIN.  117 

afternoon,  under  the  direction  of  the  captain,  who 
had  doubtless  been  watching  our  actions  \\ith 
no  little  anxiety  as  to  the  result.  The  sun  was 
now  but  about  half  an  hour  high,  and  a  waif  (a 
little  white  flag)  had  just  been  displayed  from  the 
peak  of  the  ship,  to  bid  us  prepare  to  return  OR 
board. 

"There's  the  waif,  sir,  and  the  captain's  keeprng 
off  to  run  down  to  us." 

"And  there's  the  whale,  by  the  hook  block! 
and  now  we'll  keep  off.  It's  our  chance,  boys, 
hurrah!" 

"  Take  down  your  boat-sail,  and  pull  the  boat 
round."" 

It  was  done  before  the  words  were  fairly  uttered. 
The  boat  was  pointed  toward  the  whale,  who  was 
lazily  wallowing  in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  evi- 
dently unsuspicious  of  danger.  We  did  not  need 
to  pull.  Once  fairly  before  the  wind,  the  waves 
bore  us  on  at  the  rate  of  some  six  or  seven  miles 
per  hour.  A  few  minutes  brought  us  within  fair 
sight  of  the  whale;  a  few  strokes  of  the  oars 
placed  the  boat  so  far  ahead  of  him  as  to  enable 
us  to  approach  him  unobserved. 

"Stand  up,  you  sir." 

"And  now  pull,  you  scamps — pull  hard,  ha  f  i 
dozen  strokes — spring  your  oars,  boys!  " 

a  So — let  her  run!" 

"  Give  it  to  him  ! !  " 

Before  a  second  iron  could  be  darted,  the  whale 
had  disappeared  beneath  the  foaming  surge;  but 


t!8  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

the  lightning-like  velocity  with  which  the  line 
was  disappearing  over  the  bow,  told  plainly 
enough  that  the  first  iron  had  hit  him. 

Tie  was  sounding  with  a  fearful  speed.  Before 
we  could  fairly  realize  that  we  were  fast,  JDO 
tub  was  emptied  of  its  line,  and  now  the  mate, 
who  had  not  yet  had  time  to  jump  to  the  bow, 
(always  the  first  evolution  after  the  whale  is 
struck),  hurriedly  bent  a  "drug"  —  a  thick  flat 
piece  of  light  wood,  about  two  feet  square — to  the 
inner  end  of  the  line,  which  is  always  left  exposed 
for  this  purpose.  This  was  scarcely  done  when 
it  was  snatched  out  of  the  mate's  hand,  and  stri- 
king one  of  the  crew  a  slight  blow  on  the  head, 
disappeared  with  the  balance  of  the  line,  over- 
board. 

As  the  drug  vanished  from  our  sight,  the  sun 
was  sinking  beneath  the  waters.  The  poor  mate 
tore  his  hair,  in  agony  at  our  ill  luck,  while  we 
sat  silent,  thinking  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  perverse 
fate.  There  was  scarcely  a  hope  that  the  whale 
would  rise  again  before  dark,  as  the  twilights  in 
those  latitudes  are  exceedingly  short.  Yet  there 
was  a  hope,  and  every  eye  now  scanned  the  water, 
trusting  to  catch  some  sign  of  the  whale's  reap- 
pearance 

"  Don't  loo.k  for  the  drug — it's  too  dark  to  see 
that.  You'll  scarce  see  a  whale  now,  more  than 
three  ship's  lengths  off." 

Minute  after  minute  we  lay  there,  every  eye 
•trained,  every  heart  beating  with  inxicty.  It 


"THERE'S    BLOOD."  !19 

was  now  too  dark  to  distinguish  even  the  boats, 
which  were  under  sail  at  a  quarter  of  a  mile's 
distance,  and  with  sinking  hearts,  we  were  one 
b^-f  one  abandoning  the  lookout,  and  turning  our 
Cjyes  toward  the  ship,  when 

"There,   by   George,   there's   the   whale  —  th 
third    mate   has  fastened   to   him,"    shouted   the 
mate,  jumping  up  and  down  with  joy. 

Giving  vent  to  a  shout  of  exultation,  wo  bent 
to  our  oars,  and  were  soon  within  hail  of  the  fast 
boat. 

"Don't  you  lance  that  whale — he's  got  our  iron 
in  him  and  I  want  to  kill  him — blast  him,"  shouted 
the  mate,  hoarse  with  excitement. 

The  fish  lay  quite  still  upon  the  water,  and  the 
third  mate  readily  gave  place  to  us.  We  took 
hold  of  his  line. 

"Now  pull  me  up  to  the  beast." 

"  Take  the  line  to  the  bow  cleat,  and  then  take 
a  turn  about  the  bow  thwart,  and  hold  me  to  him 
till  I  churn  him!" 

The  boat  was  brought  in  contact  with  the 
whale's  side,  and  while  I  held  her  there,  by  a  turn 
of  the  line  as  directed,  the  mate  set  the  long 
slender  lance  fairly  over  his  life,  and  sent  it  home, 
repeating  his  thrust  again  and  again.  A  tremen- 
dous quiver  of  the  vast  body,  and  the  issue  of  a 
mass  of  clotted  blood  from  his  spout-holes,  were 
the  immediate  consequences. 

"  There's  blood  —  hurrah  !  "  was  exultingly 
shouted  at  the  top  of  every  voice.  It  is  a  cry 


]  20  WHALING     AND    FISHING. 

which  the  whaleman  at  all  times  utters  witn  joy,1 
but  with  us  it  was  doubly  joyful,  because  of  the 
sudden  transition  from  previous  depression  and 
hopelessness .  to  present  certainty  of  victory. 

"  There  he  rolls  it  out,  ihick  as  coal  tar,"  said 
he  mate,  as  he  heard  a  hoarse  gurgling  sound — it 
was  too  dark  any  longer  to  distinguish  between 
blood  and  water. 

"Stern  now,  men,  stern  all — quick!  "'as  the 
whale  rolled  over  in  his  flurry. 

The  command  was  given  none  too  soon.  And 
now  he  beat  the  waters  with  his  flukes,  and  darted 
hither  and  thither  at  immense  speed,  in  his  death 
struggle.  From  the  distance  to  which  we  had 
removed  for  safety  from  an  accidental  stroke,  we 
could  not  see  his  actions;  and  it  was  fearful  to  list 
to  the  swift  blows  of  his  flukes,  and  know  that 
but  a  little  way  from  us,  in  the  thick  darkness,  a 
leviathan  was  parting  from  life. 

His  flurry  was  short.  The  mate's  lance  had 
been  too  ^  ell  pointed.  • 

Meantime  we  had  set  our  boat-lantern,  and  the 
ship  now  bore  down  toward  us,  with  two  lights 
in  her  rigging,  glaring  upon  us  as  though  she 
were  some  great  monster  come  to  the  assistance 
of  its  brothei  Two  boats  had  returned  on  board, 
and  we  of  the  remaining  two  now  prepared  to 
take  a  line  from  the  vessel,  by  which  to  pass  a 
mooring  chain  about  the  dead  whale's  flukes. 
The  sea  was  quite  high,  the  night  pitch  dark,  and 
altogether,  T  soon  came  to  the  conclusion  thai 


MOORING     A     WHALE.  121 

the  worst  part  of  our  business  was  yet  to  be 
dono. 

IP  order  to  keep  the  whale  in  a  proper  position 
for  i ratting  in,  a  chain  is  placed  round  that  part 
called  his  small — the  tapering  extremity  to  whu  n 
the  flukes  or  tail  is  joined.  This  small,  in  a  whale, 
is  not  small  by  any  means,  being  about  the  circum- 
ference of  a  flour  barrel,  and  deserving  the  name 
only  by  comparison  with  the  balance  of  his  body. 

When  dead,  a  whale  lies  upon  his  side,  with  one 
fin  out  of  water.  He  floats  just  upon  a  level  with 
the  water,  the  flukes  and  small  being  completely 
below  the  surface.  It  is,  therefore,  not  a  slight 
undertaking,  particularly  at  night,  and  in  a  heavy 
sea,  to  pass  the  necessary  line.  The  operation  is 
performed  by  two  boats,  in  the  following  manner : 
A  light  line  is  provided,  weighed  down  at  the 
middle  by  a  six  or  ten  pound  shot.  Each  boat 
takes  one  end  of  this  line,  and  one  being  stationed 
on  either  side  of  the  whale,  they  pull  slowly 
toward  his  head,  with  the  intention  of  passing  the 
bight,  or  middle  of  the  rope,  beneath  the  whale's 
body.  Four  times  we  tried  this  experiment,  but 
each  time  the  line  was  caught  in  the  fork  of  the 
flukes,  which,  lying  now  perpendicularly  in  the 
water,  reach  to  a  considerable  extent  beneath  the 
surface.  The  fifth  time  we  were  successful,  and 
with  a  shout  passed  the  ends  of  our  line  to  the 
ship  where  the  rest  of  the  manipulation  is  gone 
through  with  ;  it  being  the  office  of  the  boats  now 
to  preserve  and  hold  tightly  the  middle  of  the 


122  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

rope,  in  order  that  it  may  not  be  again  sw^pt  from 
its  place  by  the  waves. 

To  the  small  line  is  bent  or  fastened  a  stout 
rope;  next  conies  a  hawser,  and  at  last  the  chain 
is  slowly  paid  out  overboard,  one  end  being  first 
passed  through  a  ring  in  the  other.  The  slip- 
noose  or  "  running  bight  "  thus  formed  is  finally 
tightened  about  the  whale's  small,  and  he  is  secure. 
Additional  irons  were  now  put  into  the  whale, 
and  the  lines  passed  on  board,  that  we  might  not 
lose  our  fish,  should  an  accident  happen  to  the 
chain  ;  and  then  the  carcass  was  slowly  hauled  up 
to  the  side,  and  secured  for  the  night. 

It  was  nine  o'clock  before  we  of  the  mate's  boat 
got  on  board,  to  change  our  wet  clothing  and 
obtain  a  bite  of  supper.  The  watch  was  then  set, 
and  orders  given  to  those  on  deck  to  get  up  the 
cutting  gear,  and  clean  out  the  try- works,  prepar- 
atory to  the  labors  of  the  succeeding  day. 

At  early  daylight  all  hands  were  called  from  their 
warm  berths,  and  the  bustle  and  labor  of  eutting- 
in  began.  Stages  were  slung  over  the  side,  where- 
on the  officers  stand  with  long-handled  spades,  to 
cut  the  blubber.  Tackles  were  got  up  to  the 
mast,  wherewith  to  lift  the  ponderous  blocks  and 
ropes  used  for  hoisting  in  the  blubber;  the  blub- 
ber room  was  cleared  of  a  mass  of  rubbish  whicn 
had  accumulated  there  during  the  outward  pass- 
age, and  then,  breakfast  being  overj  the  real  labor 
of  the  day  was  commenced. 

The  whale  lies  with  his  head  toward  the  stern 


CUTTING-IN.  123 

of  the  vessel.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  sep- 
arate the  head  from  the  body.  To  this  purpose, 
a  place  being  fixed  upon  where  it  is  supposed  the 
back  bone  can  be  separated,  a  deep  incision  is 
made  with  a  spade.  A  strip  of  the  adjoining 
blubber,  about  six  feet  wide,  is  now  cut  loose  on 
both  sides,  and  an  in,cision  being  also  made  longi- 
tudinally in  this  strip,  a  boat-steerer  goes  down  in 
a  "bowline,"  to  hook  on  the  first  "blanket-piece." 

This  done — and  this  is  about  the  most  difficult 
and  dangerous  duty  in  cutting-in  a  whale — the 
crew  heave  away  at  the  windlass,  and  the  officers 
cut  away  on  each  side  as  necessary.  The  whale 
is  thus  rolled  completely  around,  the  thick  blub- 
ber peeling  off  easily  from  the  flesh  beneath. 
The  deep  incision  next  to  the  head  is  continued, 
the  spade  being  thrust  down  till  it  strikes  the  ver- 
tebra ;  and  thus  by  the  time  the  carcass  has  made 
one  entire  revolution,  the  head  hangs  merely  by 
the  joints  which  connect  it  with  the  backbone. 

A  stout  oak  post  is  now  placed  with  one  end 
resting  against  a  plate  prepared  on  the  ship's 
side,  and  the  other  inserted  in  a  hole  cut  in  the 
head.  The  cutting  and  hoisting  recommences, 
and  as  the  whale's  body  is  slowly  turned,  the  head, 
which  is  kept  stationary  by  the  post,  is  gradually 
wrenched  off.  Previously  to  this,  however,  a 
head-chain  has  been  passed  through  a  hole  made 
for  the  purpose,  and  by  this  the  severed  mass  now 
hangs.  When  the  head  is  loose,  the  body  is  hauled 
forward  clear  of  the  gangway.  The  lower  jaw — 


124  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

or  jaw j  as  it  is  called,  the  balance  being  the  head 
proper — a  long,  slender  bone,  is  severed  and  hoisted 
in.  In  this  are  contained  the  teeth,  which  are 
valued  as  ivory,  and  worked  into  various  fanoj 
articles  luring  subsequent  leisure  hours.  A 
sperm-whale's  teeth  are  placed  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  hook  back,  and  are  moveable  in  their  sockets. 
Now  comes  the  head,  the  most  important  part 
of  the  whale,  as  it  is  a  nearly  solid  mass  of  blub- 
ber and  spermacetti.  Where  the  whale  is  large, 
this  is  now  again  subdivided,  the  entire  mass 
being  far  too  heavy  to  hoist  in  at  once.  It  was 
judged  that  our  whale  would  make  about  sixty 
barrels.  This  is  above  the  average,  and  the  case, 
that  part  of  the  head  which  contains  the  pure 
spermacetti,  was  therefore  separated  from  the  rest, 
and  hoisted  in  first.  This  safely  landed,  the  head 
\vas  swayed,  and  on  reaching  the  deck,  was 
shoved  aft,  on  the  quarter  deck.  It  barely  fitted 
under  the  beams  which  supported  the  spare  boats, 
and  formed  a  cube  of  nearly  nine  feet.  How  much 
it  weighed,  I  would  not  attempt  to  guess.  The 
case,  which  was  placed  against  it — tackles  being 
required  to  slide  it  along  the  well-greased  decks — 
was  nearly  as  large. 

The  cutting-in  now  recommenced.  As  cne 
tackle  reached  the  masthead,  another  was  brought 
down  and  hooked,  or  rather,  toggled  in  at  the  gang- 
way. The  upper  piece  was  then  -jut  loose,  and 
lowered  down  into  the  blubber -room,  where  it 
lay,  with  the  blackskin  down. 


SHARKS.  126 

Long  before  this  time — in  fact,  with  early  day- 
light— an  immense  number  of  sharks  had  gath- 
ered around  the  ship,  attracted  thither  by  the 
blood  and  scent  of  our  prize.  As  far  as  the  eye 
oonld  distinguish  them,  their  dorsal  fins  could  be 
aeon  gliding  over  the  water,  all  hurrying  to  the 
scenu  of  slaughter,  eager  to  secure  a  share  of  the 
prize.  The  extraordinary  number  of  these  sea 
lawyers  present,  was  equaled  only  by  their  rapa- 
city. Before  we  began  cutting -in,  they  had 
already  commenced  their  meal.  Taking  advan- 
tage of  a  heave  of  the  swell,  a  shark  would  wrig- 
gle up  on  top  of  the  whale,  and  setting  his  wide 
opened  mouth  against  the  solid  blubber,  would 
bite  out  a  piece  as  round  as  and  about  the  size  of  a 
man's  head.  The  officers  spent  their  leisure  mo- 
ments in  cutting  at  them  with  the  spades,  and  one 
man  was  stationed  abreast  of  the  whale's  head, 
with  a  long  sharp  spade,  to  keep  them  off  that 
part.  I  saw  one  cut  in  such  a  manner  that  his 
entrails  protruded  into  the  water,  and  yet  this 
animal,  which  it  was  to  be  supposed  would  almost 
immediately  die,  wriggled  itself  up  on  the  whale, 
ind  took  out  a  huge  mouthful,  paying  for  its 
temerity  by  having  the  greater  part  of  its  tail 
rat  off. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  kill  a  shark.  They 
have  as  many  lives  as  a  cat.  The  amount  of  suf- 
fering they  will  undergo  before  death  ensues,  is 
really  marvelous.  I  have  seen  all  the  entrails 
taken  out  of  one,  and  yet  after  lying  about  on 


126  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

deck  for  an  hour,  he  bit  and  crushed  a  stout  ash 
pole  between  his  teeth.  They  remain  about  the 
ship  until  the  carcass  is  set  adrift,  when  they 
divide  the  rich  prize  with  the  sea-birds.  There 
are  few  instances  on  record  of  a  shark  having 
bitten  a  man  while  cutting-in.  There  is  too  great 
a  superabundance  of  other  food.  Boatsteerers, 
whose  business  it  is  to  go  down  upon  the  whale 
to  hook  on  the  first  blanket -piece,  an  operation 
requiring  sometimes  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  to 
execute,  are  scarce  ever  molested.  The  mate 
stands  by,  however,  with  a  spade,  ready  to  meet 
any  advances  on  the  part  of  the  sharks.  I  have 
seen  a  man  working  on  the  whale,  with  a  shark 
close  beside  him  :  he  simply  giving  the  fish  a  kick 
with  his  heavy  sea-boot,  when  he  became  aware 
of  its  close  proximity. 

Meantime  the  cutting-in  proceeded;  and,  by 
dint  of  strenuous  exertions,  we  finished  this  part 
of  our  labor  at  five  o'clock,  p.  M.  The  gory  car- 
cass was  then  set  adrift,  and  floated  off  to  leeward 
a  huge  bone  of  contention  to  innumerable  sharks 
and  sea-birds. 

The  first  thing  now  to  be  done  was  to  start  up 
the  fires.  The  enormous  blanket -pieces  had  beec 
piled  into  the  blubber-room 'until  it  was  full  to  tht 
brink,  and  now  two  men,  stripping  off  their  shirts, 
and  enveloping  their  heads  in  cotton  handker- 
chiefs, got  on  to  this  mass  of  grease  to  cut  it  up 
into  horse-pieces,  morsels  about  fourteen  inches 
•qnare.  These  again  were  thrown  upon  deck, 


THE     CASE     AND     JUNK.  127 

and  passed  forward  to  the  mincing-horse,  where, 
with  two  men  to  turn  and  one  to  feed  the  machine, 
sufficient  blubber  to  fill  our  two  try-kettles  was 
fcoon  minced.  This  ready,  the  fires  were  started, 
first  with  wood,  the  dry  "  cracklings,"  or  scrap*, 
as  they  are  called,  being  afterward  used  for  fuel. 

Numerous  empty  casks  were  now  hoisted  on 
deck,  coopered,  and  lashed  along  the  bulwarks. 
Into  these  the  oil  was  bailed,  after  being  allowed 
to  cool  in  a  copper  tank  adjoining  the  try -works, 
and  there  it  remained  until  quite  cool,  when  it  was 
stowed  below.  Meantime  the  case  was  opened  ; 
a  man  being  placed  in  the  large  opening,  the  pure 
and  beautifully  white  spermacetti  was  bailed  out 
with  a  bucket  constructed  for  that  purpose.  It  is 
quite  fluid  when  first  taken  out,  but  quickly  con- 
geals on  exposure  to  the  air.  It  is  at  once  placed 
in  new  casks,  which  are  duly  marked  "  case." 

The  shell,  when  completely  empty,  was  with 
much  labor  and  by  the  united  strength  of  the 
whole  crew,  hauled  to  the  gangway,  where,  divest- 
ing it  of  tackles,  we  took  advantage  of  a  favorable 
lurch  of  the  ship  to  launch  it  overboard.  The 
case  itself,  although  closely  resembling  blubber,  is 
in  fact  a  huge  mass  of  tendons,  muscles  and  fibres, 
so  closely  interwoven  as  to  be  almost  impervious 
to  the  harpoon  or  spade.  It  yields  no  oil  by  try- 
ing out,  and  is  therefore  fitly  thrown  away. 

Next,  the  junk,  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
head,  was  cut  into  horse-pieces  and  tried  out  sep- 
arately, the  oil  from  this  part  of  the  whale  being 


128  WHALING     AND     PISHINO. 

regarded  as  greatly  superior  to  the  rest,  the  sperm- 
aeetti  being,  of  course,  the  most  valuable.  It  was 
not  until  I  was  set  to  work  ipon  this  enormous 
mass  of  solid  blubber,  that  1  fairly  realized  the 
size  of  tka  animal  we  had  slain.  This  huge  cube 
of  nearly  nine  feet,  was  only  a  portion,  perhaps 
a  fair  half  of  his  head.  What  then,  thought  I, 
as  I  slashed  away  at  it,  my  puny  strokes  seem- 
ing like  those  of  an  ant  nibbling  at  an  apple, 
what  then  must  have  been  the  size  of  his  entire 
carcass. 

Our  trying-out  operations  were  in  "  full  blast." 
The  watch  had  been  set  at  eight,  one-half  the 
crew  being  kept  on  deck  for  six  hours,  which  is 
the  duration  of  a  trying-out  watch.  On  such 
occasions  each  man  has  a  particular  duty  assigned 
him.  The  mates  and  boatsteerers  superintend 
the  try -pots,  feed  the  fires,  and  ladle  out  the  seeth- 
ing oil  into  a  copper  cooler.  Three  men  are  con. 
stantly  employed  at  the  mincing  machine ;  some 
pitch  horse-pieces  from  the  blubber-room  hatch 
to  the  machine ;  while  others  have  the  care  of  the 
casks,  rolling  them  up  to  be  filled,  and  afterward 
securing  them.  One  at  the  wheel  and  another  on 
look-out,  with  a  few  to  look  on,  and  "  spell  "  the 
rest,  complete  the  list. 

At  night,  our  ship  presented  a  highly  pictur- 
esque scene.  The  flames,  darting  high  above  the 
try-  works,  revealed  the  masts,  rigging  and  decks, 
In  an  unearthly  glare,  among  which  the  men 
jumping  or  sliding  about  decks  on  their  various 


THE   HORRORS    OF   "TRYING   OUT."       129 

duties,  seemed  like  demons  dancing  about  an 
incantation  fire.  But  with  this  picture  all  the 
romance  departs.  The  smell  of  the  burning 
cracklings  is  too  horribly  nauseous  for  descrip- 
tion. It  is  as  though  all  the  ill  odors  in  the  world 
were  gathered  together  and  being  shaken  up. 
Walking  upon  deck  has  become  an  impossibility. 
The  oil  washes  from  one  side  to  the  other,  as  the 
ship  lazily  rolls  in  the  seaway,  and  the  safest  mode 
of  locomotion  is  sliding  from  place  to  place,  on 
the  seat  of  your  pantaloons. 

Moreover,  everything  is  drenched  with  oil. 
Shirts  and  trowsers  are  dripping  with  the  loath- 
some stuff.  The  pores  of  the  skin  seem  to  be  filled 
with  it.  Feet,  hands  and  hair,  all  are  full.  The 
biscuit  you  eat  glistens  with  oil,  and  tastes  as 
though  just  out  of  the  blubber  room.  The  knife 
with  which  you  cut  your  meat  leaves  upon  the 
morsel,  which  nearly  chokes  you  as  you  reluc- 
tantly swallow  it,  plain  traces  of  the  abomin- 
able blubber.  Every  few  minutes  it  becomes 
necessary  to  work  at  something  on  the  lee  side 
of  the  vessel,  and  while  there  you  are  corn- 
filled  to  breath  in  the  fetid  smoke  of  the  scrap 
fires,  until  you  feel  as  though  filth  had  struck  into 
your  blood,  and  suffused  every  vein  in  your  body. 
From  this  smell  and  taste  of  blubber,  raw,  boiling 
and  burning,  there  is  no  relief  or  place  of  refuge. 
Tho  cabin,  the  forecastle,  even  the  mastheads,  all 
are  filled  with  it,  and  were  it  possible  to  get  for  a 

9 


130  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

moin  nt  to  clean  quarters,  one  would  loath  him- 
self—reeking as  everybody  is,  with  oil. 

It  is  horrible.  Yet  old  whalemen  delight  ia  it, 
The  fetid  smoke  is  incense  to  their  nostrils.  The 
filthy  oil  seems  to  them  a  glorious  representative 
of  prospective  dollars  and  delights.  They  wallow 
in  blubber,  and  take  a  horse -piece  for  their  pillow 
when  lying  down.  They  bake  doughnuts  and 
biscuit  in  the  seething  oil,  and  portions  of  the 
whale's  lean  meat  are  prepared  for  their  daily 
dinner.  I  was  induced  by  curiosity  to  try  a  piece 
of  nicely  cooked  whale.  The  raw  meat  is  of  a 
dark  red  color,  nearly  black,  and  somewhat  resem- 
bling very  coarse  beef.  It  is  generally  minced 
fine,  and  fried,  after  the  manner  of  forcemeat 
balls.  I  could  not  stomach  it  —  although  our 
captain  declared,  with  his  mouth  crammed  full, 
that  it  was  the  best  thing  he  had  tasted  for  a  long 
time. 

Three  days  our  trying  out  lasted.  The  closing 
scene  was  the  worst.  From  the  fact  that  the 
blubber  is  torn  off  the  whale's  sides,  it  unavoid- 
ably happens  that  occasionally  a  piece  of  meat 
is  brought  up  with  the  blanket-pieces.  This  ig 
known  as  the  "fat-lean,"  and  is  carefully  stripped 
from  the  horse-pieces,  and  thrown  into  large  open 
casks,  where  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  of  the 
adjacent  fires  gradually  drain  it  cf  the  oil  it 
contains.  This  being  of  an  inferior  quality,  is 
left  to  the  last  day,  and  by  that  time  the  meat  .8 


131 

green  and  putrid.  Men  are  now  set  to  work  to 
fish  out  those  pieces  not  considered  of  sufficient 
value  to  try  out,  and  pitch  them  overboard.  For 
this  purpose  one  has  to  lean  with  his  head  tjuite 
inside  the  open  cask,  and  inhaling  all  the  noisome 
stench  arising  from  the  decayed  mass  within,  feel 
around  with  his  hands,  to  grasp  the  slimy  moiflela 
which  are  not  fit  for  the  try -kettles. 

The  captain  and  I  worked  side  by  side  at  one 
cask  for  a  half  an  hour,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
I  was  obliged  to  say  that  I  could  not  stand  it 
longer.  I  was  deathly  sick. 

"  That's  nothing,  Charley,"  said  he,  "just  fancy 
it's  dollars  you  are  groping  among,  and  the 
matter  will  assume  a  very  different  odor."  But  I 
thought  that  too  high  a  price  for  dollars. 

The  third  afternoon  we  tried  out  our  last  kettle 
full,  and  put  out  the  fires.  The  blubber  room  was 
now  cleaned  out,  the  various  utensils  used  for  the 
past  three  days,  stowed  away,  and  the  decks 
cleaned  up  a  little.  Two  days  longer  the  oil  was 
kept  upon  deck,  to  give  it  time  to  cool  thoroughly, 
and  then  the  labor  of  "  stowing  down "  began. 
Boiling  huge  oil  casks  across  a  slippery  deck, 
while  the  ship  is  pitching  and  rolling  in  the  sea- 
way, is  a  task  of  considerable  labor.  This,  too, 
came  to  an  end  at  last,  and  then  ensued  a  grand 
cleaning  up — decks,  sides,  bulwarks,  forecastle  and 
cabin,  all  received  a  thorough  cleansing,  and  at 
the  end  of  two  or  three  days  more,  the  ship  again 
looked  like  the  habitation  of  Christian  men.  and 


132  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

A^e,  her  crew,  were  again  in  good  odor  with  our 
selves. 

It  is  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  sperm  oil 
will  wash  off  easily,  not  leaving  any  stain  upon 
wood,  and  but  little  upon  the  rough  clothing 
whalemen  wear.  The  smoke  and  cinders  make 
the  chief  dirt,  penetrating  as  they  do,  every  part 
of  the  vessel,  and  bearing  with  them  that  peculiarly 
sickening  smell  of  burning  meat,  the  remembrance 
of  which,  even  to  this  day,  disgusts  me.  Happy 
day  it  was  for  me,  when  I  was  once  more  permit- 
ted to  put  on  clean  clothes,  and  could  eat  biscuit 
without  oil,  and  meat  unaccompanied  by  the 
of  blubber 


"GAUMING."  133 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

•GAMMING "— Sail  ho !— The  Betsy  Ann— Her  Crew— A  "  Mer- 
chant  Sailor" — A  Council— A  school  of  Whales — A  race 
between  two  Whale  boats— The  Offer  to  share  the  Chances 
refused — It  is  our  Whale— The  Bazaroota  Islands— Procuring 
Wood — A  strange  Fish — Harpooning  Hippopotami — We  cause 
one  to  "  spout  blood  " — Tow  it  Ashore — Hippopotamus  Steak — 
A  Night  Visit  to  the  Shore  for  the  Purpose  of  Killing  a  few 
Hippopotami,  with  its  Results. 

MEANTIME  a  sharp  look-out  was  kept  up  for 
whales — although  I  believe  the  crew  generally 
were  quite  willing  to  have  no  more  trying  out  to 
do  for  some  time— even  if  dollars  were  not  gath- 
ered so  fast  in  consequence.  But  we  now  daily 
expected  to  fall  in  with  some  other  whaling  yessels, 
which  our  captain  supposed  to  be  cruising  in  this 
latitude. 

Next  to  a  run  on  shore,  a  "  gamm,"  as  H  is 
called — that  is,  a  social  reunion  of  the  crews  of 
two  ships,  accidentally  meeting  on  a  cruise — forms 
the  pleasantest  incident  in  a  whaling  voyage. 
Then  are  old  times  talked  over,  old  friends  inquired 
after,  past  adventures  related,  and  a  mutual 
interchange  of  the  good  things  of  whaling  life 
effected,  all  tending  to  make  the  few  hours  devoted 
to  this  social  intercourse  as  pleasant  as  possible. 


*34  WHALING    AND    WISHING. 

It  was  about  a  week  after  we  had  stowed  down 
our  oil,  and  cleaned  ship,  that  one  morning  the  cry 
of  "  sail  ho !  "  brought  all  hands  on  deck,  and  caused 
the  captain  to  run  quickly  aloft  with  his  spy -glass, 
to  recon  noitre  the  stranger.  The  vessel's  course 
was  immediately  altered  so  as  to  intersept  the 
strange  sail,  and  various  speculations  were  haz- 
arded by  officers  and  crew  as  to  her  name,  business, 
and  hailing  place. 

"She1*  a  wha'er,  that's  settled,"  said  the  third 
mate  confidently;  "else  she  would  not  be  here." 

"  Then  we'll  have  a  gamm,  boys,  hurrah ! "  cried 
a  boatsteerer. 

Soon  her  top  gallants  were  visible  from  the 
deck ;  and  now  the  mate,  just  returned  from  the 
masthead,  declared  his  belief  that  she  was  not  a 
"  Natucketer ; "  a  very  welcome  piece  of  intelli- 
gence indeed,  for  such  is  the  jealousy  existing 
between  rival  whaling  ports,  that  many  Nantuck- 
etmen  refuse  to  "gamm  "  with  vessels  hailing  from 
"the  Sound." 

"  The  skipper  thinks  its  the  Athenia,  which  left 
New  London  two  weeks  before  we  sailed,"  said 
the  mate. 

"  "We  may  bless  our  stars  that  we  have  got  a 
whale  on  board,  else  we  should  be  ashamed  to 
look  those  fellows  in  the  face." 

"  There  goes  her  burgee— oh  for  ten  thousand 
f&py -glasses  now." 

"  She's  the  Betsy  Ann,  from  New  Bedford ;  1 


OUR     RECEPTION.  135 

&  \o.w  her/'   hails   the    captain,   now   descending 
from  the  masthead. 

We  were  soon  informed  that  the  Betsy  Ann  had 
oeen  nearly  three  years  from  home,  and  that  she 
had  a  smart  crew,  who  were  not  to  be  beat  in  get- 
ting on  to  a  whale,  by  any  set  of  men  in  those 
seas.  In  a  short  time  the  strange  vessel  was 
within  hail,  when  the  usual  salutations  were  ex- 
changed. And  after  duly  informing  them  that  wo 
were  four  months  out  and  had  taken  one  whale,  a 
week  or  so  ago,  we  were  told  in  return  that  they 
had  now  nineteen  hundred  barrels  on  board,  had 
seen  no  whales  for  three  weeks,  and  thought  of 
steering  for  the  Isle  of  France,  in  hopes  to  fall  in 
with  some  off  the  shores  of  that  island. 

"  Wont  you  come  aboard,  Captain  Starkweather?' 
asked  our  captain. 

"  Yes,  I'll  lower  my  boat ;  let  your  mate  come 
aboard  of  us." 

Filling  our  pockets  with  tobacco,  and  our  shirt- 
bosoms  with  books,  we  of  the  mate's  boat  were 
soon  ready,  and  lowering  the  boat,  pulled  on  board 
the  Betsy  Ann,  a  rusty  looking  old  tub  as  ever 
floated. 

We  were  received  at  the  gangway  by  as  motley 
an  assemblage  of  tanned  faces,  long  beards,  and 
patched  garments,  as  I  ever  saw.  They  spoke  in 
low  tones,  automatically  held  out  their  hands  to 
uu,  and  then,  two  of  our  fellows  having  hooked 
our  boat  on,  she  was  hoisted  to  the  davits  of  the 
captain's  boat.  Now  filling  the  main-top-saii 


1 36  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

we  stood  on,  thus  losing  no  ground  by  oai 
enjoyment. 

Our  first  reception  had  seemed  to  us  ccol.  We 
were  languidly  asked  down  into  the  forecastle 
which  smelt  abominably  of  decayed  roaches  and 
oil  soap,  and  here  seats  were  given  us  on  the 
chests.  Once  seated,  all  hands  preserved  a  most 
decorous  silence  for  nearly  ten  minutes,  when  one 
of  the  strangers  at  last  ventured  to  ask  how  long 
we  were  from  home,  and  what  was  the  latest 
news. 

Being  duly  posted  on  this  topic,  they  again 
relapsed  into  silence,  and  I  was  beginning  to  think 
that  gamming  was  an  unmitigated  bore,  when  1 
was  accosted  by  a  tall  fellow,  whose  patches,  being 
of  colors  a  little  different  from  those  of  his  ship- 
mates, had  struck  me  from  the  first  as  not "  native, 
to  the  manor  born."  He  asked  me,  with  a  doubt- 
ing smile,  whether  I  was  not  a  merchant  sailor. 
An  earnest  "yes,"  produced  a  hearty  shaking  of 
hands  between  us,  and  an  immediate  proposal  on 
his  part  to  adjourn  to  the  deck,  where  we  could 
talk  matters  over  more  at  our  leisure. 

Stowing  ourselves  snugly  away  on  the  topgal- 
lant forecastle,  we  took  such  a  turn  at  yarning  as 
probably  neither  of  us  had  enjoyed  for  a  long 
time.  He  was  a  Scotchman,  and  had  shipped  as 
carpenter  of  the  vessel.  This  was  his  first  whaling 
voyage,  and  he  expressed  an  opinion,  which  1 
very  emphatically  indorsed,  that  whaling  was  an 
enormous,  filthy  humbug. 


CHIPS.  137 

Ben — that  was  my  new  friend's  name — was  au 
old  sailor,  and  had  seen  a  good  deal  of  the  world. 
We  had  therefore  a  good  deal  to  talk  about,  and 
a  great  many  places  to  compare  notes  on.  First, 
however,  I  laid  before  him  my  free-will  offering 
of  tobacco  and  books,  requesting  him  to  share  the 
former  with  any  other  good  fellows  on  board. 
This,  together  with  the  fact  that  I  was  a  merchant 
sailor,  procured  me  shortly  an  enlarged  acquain- 
tance on  board,  all  who  were  in  the  good  graces 
of  Chips  seating  themselves  around  us  to  listen 
to  our  yarns. 

The  hardships  to  which  the  merchant  sailor  is 
exposed,  beyond  either  the  man-of-war's  man  or 
the  whaleman,  and  the  strange  vicissitudes  of  his 
life,  procure  him,  in  a  superior  degree,  the  esteem 
of  all  other  classes  of  seafaring  people.  Whether 
in  the  polished  man-of-war,  the  dirty  whaler,  or 
the  diminutive  fisherman  or  coaster,  a  merchant 
sailor,  as  he  is  always  first  at  the  post  of  duty  or 
danger,  is  allowed  to  place  himself  first  at  mess, 
or  in  the  council.  It  was  thus  that  I  found  Chips 
looked  up  to  with  respect  not  unmixed  with  fear, 
by  the  rest  of  his  shipmates  in  the  forecastle, 
while  the  officers  valued  him  above  any  other  half 
lozen  of  the  crew.  And  it  was  thus  that  I,  while 
cordially  hated  by  the  greater  part  of  my  verdant 
shipmates,  was  yet  able  to  exact  sufficient  respect 
from  them  to  make  them  defer  to  my  opinions, 
and  leave  my  property  unmolested. 

1  explained  to  Chips  my  position  on  board  ship, 


138  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

and  disagreement  with  the  greenhorns,  whom  1 
could  look  upon  only  as  speaking  brutes — with 
several  exceptions  of  course. 

"I'll  tell  you,  Charley,"  said  he,  "  the  reason  why 
they  hate  you.  You  assert  for  yourself  the  posi- 
Jon  of  a  man,  but  have  not  the  beard  necessary  to 
a  tacit  enforcement  of  your  claims.  If  you've 
been  in  a  lime -juicer,  you  know  that  there  one  is 
considered  a  boy  till  he  can  show  a  pair  of  whiskers, 
ind  a  man  ever  afterward,  if  he's  as  stupid  as  a 
donkey,  and  as  lazy  as  a  first  class  whaleman. 
This  is  sailor  human  nature.  If  it  was  not  for  the 
little  whiskers  I  can  raise  about  my  face," — his 
features  were  barely  discernible  through  a  most 
enormous  black  beard — "I  should  have  to  fight 
these  fellows  every  day  of  my  life." 

"  All  except  the  Portuguese,"  added  he,  "they  are 
a  good  sensible  set  of  fellows,  who  mind  their  own 
business,  and  act  upon  the  square  in  everything." 

"Wait  till  I  have  a  beard,"  thought  I,  with  an 
internal  vow,  that  when  that  blessed  epoch  in  my 
history  arrived,  I  would  assume  and  assert,  at  all 
hazards,  all  the  dignity  and  prerogatives  of  mature 
manhood. 

"  Meantime,  Charley,"  said  my  new  friend  very 
coolly,  "handspikes,  applied  about  the  shins  of 
those  who  prove  troublesome  to  you,  will  be  found 
an  excellent  substitute  for  hair  on  your  chin." 

In  such  talk  we  passed  away  very  pleasantly  a 
couple  of  hours,  I  meanwhile  regaling  myself  upon 
the  contents  of  a  jar  of  most  delicious  tamarind*, 


•'THERE    SHE    WHITEWATERS!"          139 

which  Ben  had  brought  up  for  my  use.  After  the 
long  and  wearisome  insipidity  of  salt  junk  and 
biscuit,  bean  soup  and  duff,  the  lively  acid  of  the 
preserved  tamarinds  was  most  refreshing ;  and 
during  our  conversation  I  "stowed  away"  a  large 
proportion  of  the  contents  of  the  jar  before  me. 
It  was  only  when  one  of  our  Portuguese  friends  set 
another  jar  beside  me,  expressing  at  the  same  time 
a  desire  that  I  should  "eat  heartily,  and  give  the 
ship  a  good  name,"  that  I  was  made  aware  that  I 
was  gormandizing. 

Our  enjoyment  was  very  suddenly  brought  to  a 
close  by  a  cry  of  "  there  she  Whitewaters,"  from 
the  masthead  of  the  Betsy  Ann.  While  upon  a 
gamm,  both  vessels'  mastheads  are  manned  as 
though  no  visiting  was  going  on,  and  upon  a 
discovery  of  whales,  under  such  circumstances, 
there  generally  ensues  some,  hard  racing,  and  not 
unfrequently  hard  feeling. 

Every  one  was  upon  the  alert  in  a  moment,  as 
the  cry  reached  the  deck.  It  was  followed  by  the 
regular  intonations  of  "there  blows,"  convincing 
us  that  a  school  of  sperm  whales  was  in  sight. 
Our  boat's-crew  at  once  gathered  together  upon 
deck,  to  hold  ourselves  in  readiness  for  lowering. 
The  mate,  after  watching  our  ship  keenly  a  mo- 
ment, and  satisfying  himself  by  the  unusual  bustle 
on  board,  that  the  whales  were  seen  from  there 
too,  came  to  us,  and  warned  us  that  this  time  we 
•hould  have  to  contend  against  four  of  the  smartest 


140*  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

!ioats  in  those  seas,  and  that  it  would  not  do  to  be 
beaten  altogether. 

We  had  already  talked  the  matter  over  among 
ourselves,  and  determined  to  do  our  best,  and  nol 
be  beaten  if  we  could  prevent  it.  I  think  there 
was  not  one  of  our  fellows  that  did  not  wish  the 
whales  in  Tophet,  or  that  did  not  already  think 
of  our  crew  as  beaten.  Nevertheless,  "never  say 
die  while  there  is  a  shot  in  the  locker,"  is  a  motto 
upon  which  we  determined  to  act,. and  so  each 
man  gathered  up  his  strength  for  the  encounter. 

The  Betsy  Ann's  crew,  meantime,  had  been 
busied  in  preparations  for  lowering,  ever  and  anon 
casting  a  meaning  half-smile  toward  the  spot  in 
the  waist  where  we  had  gathered  together.  They 
evidently  feared  not  the  result — they  made  sure 
of  an  easy  victory  over  the  greenies. 

The  whales  were  nearly  ahead,  and  when  we 
should  lower,  would  be  about  half  a  mile  nearer 
to  the  Betsy  Ann  than  to  our  vessel.  We  had 
therefore  the  best  chance,  although  the  others  had 
the  weathergauge. 

When  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  school, 
the  vessel  was  hove  to.  Every  boat  was  instantly 
lowered  and  manned,  and  we  at  once  stretched 
away  for  the  whales.  Our  ship's  boats  had  low- 
ered a  little  before  us,  and  were  coming  down 
from  the  windward  upon  the  whales,  straining 
every  nerve  to  get  upon  them  before  we  should, 
We  had  scarcely  pulled  two  hundred  yards,  how- 


ARRANGING     A     BATTLE     FIELD.         141 

ever,  when  the  fish  suddenly  put  a  stop  to  our 
racing  by  turning  flukes.  This  gave  us  time  to 
pull  leisurely  down  toward  the  spot  where  they 
had  disappeared  beneath  the  waves,  and  here  each 
boat -header  now  brought  his  boat  to  in  such  a 
position  as  he  judged  most  favorable  for  the  pros- 
pective "  rising." 

The  chase  was  so  exciting  that  our  old  captain, 
leaving  his  fourth  mate  on  board  to  work  ship, 
had  come  in  the  boat,  sfnd  was  now  urging  us  on 
to  do  our  best,  and  "  show  these  fellows  that  they 
had  their  match." 

All  was  now  arranged.  The  eight  boats  lay  in 
variods  positions  ;  all  in  the  circumference  of  two 
miles.  Our  mate,  and  the  mate  of  the  Betsy  Ann, 
had  chosen  the  same  spot,  and  although,  as  cour- 
tesy demanded,  each  had  removed  his  boat  some 
distance  lvom  the  place  we  had  both  at  first  in- 
tended to  )ccupy,  yet  the  two  boats  were  in  most 
unpleasar  t  proximity  to  each  other,  and  we  plainly 
saw  that,  did  the  whales  rise  in  the  vicinity,  a  des 
perate  race  would  be  the  consequence. 

"  Pull  your  best,  boys — but  (to  the  mate)  be 
careful  of  your  boat — I  would  rather  lose  a  whale, 
than  have  a  boat  stove,  and  perhaps  two  or  three 
u<,n  hurt,  Mr.  Osborne,"  were  the  captain's  final 
instructions,  as  he  pulled  off  to  take  up  a  position 
in  another  part  of  the  field. 

All  was  now  silence.  No  one  ventured  to  ;speak 
above  a  whisper,  fearing  that  the  sound  of  his 
f  oico  roight  thrown  the  distant  spouting  of  a  whale 


142  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

In  every  face  the  most  intense  and  anxious  excite- 
ment  shone  forth.  Oars  in  hand,  sleeves  and 
trowsers  rolled  up,  feet  firmly  braced  against  the 
stretchers,  and  hats  pushed  down  over  our  brows, 
we  sat  in  grim  silence,  the  compressed  lips  and 
flashing  eyes  of  our  crew  plainly  saying  that  we 
would  not  be  beaten  without  at  least  a  struggle. 

The  fact  is,  the  ironical  smiles  of  our  gamming 
acquaintances  had  stung  us  to  the  quick,  and  we 
were  determined  to  show  them  that  to  beat  us 
was  not  so  easy  as  they  chose  to  believe. 

Minute  after  minute,  (and  every  minute  seemed 
half  an  hour),  passed  away  in  anxious  waiting, 
and  yet  no  whales  appeared. 

"  So  many  boats  in  the  water  at  once,  gallied 
them,  I  guess,"  said  Barnard,  in  a  desponding 
tone  of  voice.  He  had  wagered  some  tobacco 
against  a  lot  of  sperm  whale's  teeth,  that  if  there 
were  opportunity  for  a  race,  we  would  not  be  beaten. 

11  There's  a  ripple,"  whispered  the  mate  just 
then,  and  he  gently  laid  the  boat  round. 

"  And  there  blows,  boys,  pull  your  best !  "  he 
said,  yet  speaking  only  in  a  hoarse  whisper. 

The  whales  were  beyond  our  rival's  boat,  and 
she  had  therefore  the  advantage  of  us  by  half  a 
dozen  boats'  lengths.  Part  of  this  was,  however, 
lost  again,  by  their  negligence  in  not  seeing  t>ie 
whales  as  soon  as  we  did,  and  we  had  the  boat 
fairly  under  headway,  almost  as  soon  as  they  were 
laid  round  in  the  proper  direction. 

Now  ensued  a  race,  such  as  I  never  before  01 


A     RACE.  143 

since  witnessed.  We  were  yet  about  A  boat's 
length  astern.  Both  crews  were  pulling  with  all 
the  strength  at  their  command. 

At  the  measured  strokes  of  the  oars,  the  slen- 
der boats  seemed  almost  to  leap  clear  of  the  wave, 
M*d  fly  through  the  air.  Their  dull  roll  in  the 
rollocks,  their  regular  dip  in  the  water,  the  rush 
of  the  boat's  bow,  as  it  came  in  contact  with  the 
waves,  the  quick,  loud  breathing  of  the  men  at 
the  oars,  and  the  half  smothered  voices  of  the 
boatheaders  urging  their  respective  crews  on  to 
renewed  exertions,  all  proclaimed  a  race  in  which 
not  only  a  fish,  but  the  honor  of  the  two  ships  was 
thought  to  be  at  stake. 

The  whales  were  yet  unaware  of  our  approach. 
They  were  going  slowly  round  in  a  large  circle, 
as  is  often  their  habit,  and  their  present  course 
was  of  material  advantage  to  us,  as  it  forced  both 
boats  so  to  alter  their  course  as  in  a  short  time  to 
bring  us  abreast  of  our  opponents.  A  whispered 
shout  testified  onr  appreciation  of  this  advantage. 
But  we  had  no  breath  to  waste  in  shouting. 
Every  bit  was  needed  for  the  contest. 

"  Will  you  halve  the  chances,  Mr.  Swain  ? " 
asked  our  mate,  seeing  our  present  advantage, 
and  yet  feeling  that  withal,  a  new  boat's  crew 
might  be  beaten,  and  willing  to  make  sure  of 
half  a  whale,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  gaining 
none. 

"No,"  was  the  quick  and  somewhat  haughty 


144  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

answer,  "  every  ir  an  for  himself,  and  the  devil  foi 
us  all!" 

"  Pull  hard,  boys — bend  your  ash  ! — lay  to  her, 
you  devils  !  —  strain  your  muscles  ! "  urged  the 
mate,  in  earnest  whisper,  as  he  himself  pushed 
with  might  and  main  against  the  after  oar. 

The  whales  had  risen  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  from  where  we  lay  awaiting  them,  and  -a 
much  greater  distance  from  any  of  the  other 
boats,  whose  crews  were  now  pulling  after  us, 
simply  as  witnesses  to  our  race,  arid  to  be  at  hand 
in  case  of  accident. 

"  Pull  hard !  "  said  our  mate,  glaring  with  blood 
shot  eyes  upon  the  mate  of  the  other  boat. 

"  Lay  to  your  oars,  men,"  urged  that  worthy 
as  he  anxiously  watched  our  boat,  and  found  him- 
self unable  to  drop  us. 

Meantime  the  steady  click  of  the  oars,  and  the 
rush  of  the  boats  through  the  water,  filled  every 
ear. 

Now  we  fast  neared  the  whales.  Now  a  huge 
spout  seems  to  be  uttered  not  a  boat's  length 
ahead.  A  motion  of  the  hand  upward,  tells  the 
boatsteerer  to  stand  up. 

He  peaks  his  oar.  The  boatsteerer  in  the  other 
boat  does  the  same. 

"Give  way  now,  men,  for  your  lives,"  urges 
tne  mate,  still  in  a  whisper. 

Both  boats  are  aiming  for  the  same  whale,  whose 
huge  broadside  lies  exposed  not  three  darts  from  us 


THfi     RESULT.  146 

Now  he  hears  us.     Will  he  sound  ?     No  ;  but 
gallied  for  the  moment  he   increases   his  speed. 

Hurrah,  this  gives  us  an  advantage  !  But  so 
little  that  it  still  seems  as  though  both  must  fasten. 

"  Pull  hard,  boys,"  shouted  our  mate,  now  at 
the  top  of  his  voice. 

"  One  more  stroke  !  " 

"  Another  ! !  " 

"  And  another  ! !  " 

Each  time  intensifying  his  tones. 

Like  shouts  ring  from  the  other  boat.  It  is  now 
plainly  our  "  chance." 

"  Will  you  halve  the  chances,  Osborne  ?  "  asks 
the  Betsy  Ann's  mate. 

"  Not  if  I  know  it,"  is  the  curt  reply—"  Pull,  I 
tell  yon." 

"  Give  it  to  him,"  he  shouts  in  thunder-tones,  as 
the  boat  brings  up  violently  against  the  broadsidi 
of  the  whale,  throwing  nearly  every  man  out  of 
his  seat  with  the  shock.  "  Back  water,  quick — 
stern  all,  I  tell  you,"  is  the  cry,  as  the  whale 
slowly  settles  a  little  in  the  water,  and  then  rap- 
idly strikes  out  with  his  flukes. 

To  pitch  himself  into  the  bow,  to  tear  a  lance 
from  its  rest,  to  aim  it  at  the  whale's  breast,  now 
exposed,  as  the  wounded  beast  lashes  the  water  itr 
his  pain,  and  to  send  the  slender  rod  to  his  life- 
all  is  the  work  of  scarce  a  moment ;  and  when,  a 
minute  afterward,   the  whale  rolls  up  to  spout, 
the  j">yf  il  shout  of  "there's  blood,"  ringing  ovei 
the  sea,  proclaims  the  end  of  the  race  and  battle. 
10 


146  WHALING    AND    fISHINO. 

Meantime,  the  disappointed  mate  of  the  Betsy 
Ann  had  gone  off  after  another  whale,  which,  for- 
tui.e  favoring  him,  he  succeeded  in  killing  a  little 
before  sun-set,  after  a  tedious  chase. 

"  I'll  beat  you  yet,  on  a  fair  race,  Osborne,  ' 
hailed  he  the  next  day,  as  cutting  in,  the  two  ship* 
drifted  near  together. 

"Never  mind  the  racing;  we  got  the  whale," 
was  all  the  answer  vouchsafed  to  this  taunt. 

When  done  cutting  in  wTe  separated,  and  each 
steering  his  own  way,  we  saw  no  more  of  the 
New  Bedford  man. 

Standing  slowly  along  the  African  coast,  we  one 
day,  nine  or  ten  days  after  our  rencontre  with  the 
Betsy  Ann,  sighted  some  low,  thickly  wooded 
islands,  skirting  the  mainland,  and  forming  with 
that  a  sort  of  rude  road-stead. 

"  Those  are  the  Bazaroota  islands,"  said  the 
captain,  as  I  stood  at  the  wheel ;  "  I've  heard  them 
spoken  of  as  a  good  place  to  obtain  fire-wood,  and 
as  we  shall  need  some  before  getting  to  any  better 
place,  I  guess  we'll  drop  in  there." 

The  glad  tidings  were  soon  known  to  all  on 
board.  The  anchors  were  hurriedly  loosened  on 
the  bows,  the  chains  bent,  and  a  few  other  prepa- 
rations made  for  bringing  the  ship  to  for  a  couple 
of  days.  In  two  hours  we  were  in  five  fathoms 
water,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  main- 
land, the  islets  lying  at  various  distances,  from 
half  a  mile  to  three  miles  from  us.  Her<  the  ship 
was  brought  to. 


THE     BAZAROOTA     ISLANDS.  14^ 

Tho  Bazaroota  isles  are  situated  in  the  Mozam 
bique,  at  but  short  distances  from  the  coast  oi 
Africa,  as  before  said,  and  in  about  latitude  21 c 
20'  south,  and  longitude  36°  12'  east.  They  con- 
tain much  wood,  and  but  very  few  inhabitants, 
both  which  circumstances  contributed  in  the 
present  instance  to  making  them  a  favorite  place 
of  resort  for  our  captain. 

We  sailed  into  the  little  bay  about  nine  o'clock 
one  morning,  and  after  coming  to  anchor,  furling 
sails,  and  clearing  a  place  in  the  hold  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  wood,  placed  axes  in  the  mate'? 
boat,  and  in  her  proceeded  to  an  inspection  of  the 
facilities  for  cutting  and  boating  off  fire-wood/ 
afforded  by  the  different  little  islets. 

To  cut  a  supply  of  wood  for  a  whaling  cruise, 
is  a  work  requiring  some  days,  and  often  even 
weeks,  and  it  had  been  determined  that  the  first, 
and  if  need  be  the  next  day  likewise,  should  be 
devoted  to  a  thorough  inspection  of  the  facilities 
of  the  place,  in  order  that  we  might  work  at  as 
little  disadvantage  as  possible. 

Consequently  we,  the  mate's  boat's  crew,  had 
been  ordered  to  prepare  for  a  general  cruise.  We 
provided  ourselves  with  a  store  of  bread  and  beef, 
filled  the  boat's  breaker  with  water,  spread  our 
sail  to  the  light  breeze,  and  pointed  the  boat's 
bow  toward  the  nearest  island.  Landing  here, 
we  found  nought  but  a  wilderness  of  low  jungle, 
which  was  scarcely  penetrable,  together  with  a 
poor  landing  We  examined  three  or  four  o/  the 


148  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

islets,  aud  having  at  last  fixed  upon  a  suitable 
place  where  to  commence  operations,  were  about 
to  return  on  board,  when  the  mate  said, 

"  Trim  aft,  Tom,  there's  a  good  breeze,  fair 
Doming  and  going,  and  we'll  take  a  look  at  the 
mainland."  Accordingly,  the  boat's  head  was 
laid  shoreward,  and  we  spread  ourselves  out  at 
full  length  upon  the  thwarts,  enjoying  an  unu- 
sual treat  of  some  cigars  which  our  chief  officer 
had  good  naturedly  brought  with  him. 

When  within  about  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the 
main  land,  we  found  the  water  shoaling,  being 
then  not  more  than  three  fathoms — eighteen  feet 
— deep. 

"I  saw  black  skin  glisten  in  the  sun  just  then," 
said  the  boatsteerer,  who  was  aft,  the  mate  having 
stretched  himself  upon  the  bow  thwart  to  take  a 
nap. 

"It  was  nothing  but  a  puffing  pig,"  said  he 
drowsily. 

"  There  it  is  again,  and  no  puffing  pig  either — 
nor  porpoise— nor — no,"  said  he  with  some  degree 
of  animation  —  "nor  anything  else  that  wears 
black  skin  that  /  ever  saw  before." 

This  had  the  effect  of  rousing  us  up,  every  one 
casting  his  eyes  ahead  to  catch  a  sight,  of  the 
luestionable  "black  skin." 

"  There  he  blows ! '  — "  and  there  again ! " — "  and 
over  here  too,"  said  several  voices  in  succession. 

"It  ain't  a  spout  at  all,  boys,  let's  puF.  up  and 
see  what  is  " 


FASTENING     TO      A     STRANGE     FISH.    149 

We  took  to  our  oars,  and  the  boat  was  soon 
darting  forward  at  good  speed  toward  the  place 
where  we  had  last  seen  the  objects  of  our  curiosity. 

" Stern  all !"  suddenly  shouted  the  mate,  as  the 
ooat  brought  up  "  all  standing"  against  some  object 
which  we  had  not  been  able  to  see  on  account  of 
the  murkiness  of  the  water,  the  collision  nearly 
throwing  us  upon  our  backs  into  the  bottom  of  the 
boat.  As  we  backed  off,  an  enormous  beast  slowly 
raised  his  head  above  the  water,  gave  a  loud  snort, 
and  incontinently  dove  down  again,  almost  before 
we  could  get  a  fair  look  at  it.  v 

"What  is  it?"  was  now  the  question — which  no 
one  could  answer. 

"  Whatever  it  is,"  said  the  mate,  whose  whaling 
blood  was  up,  "if  it  comes  within  reach  of  my 
iron,  I'll  make  fast  to  it,  lads — so  pull  ahead." 
We  were  again  under  headway,  keeping  a  bright 
look  out  for  the  reappearance  of  the  stranger. 

"  There  they  are,  a  whole  school,"  said  the  mate, 
eagerly,  pointing  in  shore,  where  the  glistening 
of  white-water  showed  that  a  number  of  the 
nondescripts  were  evidently  enjoying  themselves. 
"Now  boys,  pull  hard,  and  we'll  soon  try  theli 
mettle." 

"  There's  something  broke  water,  just  ahead/ 
said  the  boatsteerer. 

"Pull  easy  lads — I  see  him — there — way  enougl 
—there's  his  back !  " — 

"  Stern  all !  "  shouted  he,  as  he  darted  his  iron 
into  *  back  as  broad  as  a  small  sperm  whale's. 


150  WHALING     AND      FISHING. 

"  Stern  all  —  back  water  —  back  water,  every 
man  !  "  and  the  infuriated  beast  made  desperate 
lunges  in  every  direction,  making  the  white-water 
fly  almost  equal  to  a  whale. 

We  could  now  see  the  whole  shape  of  the  croii- 
fcrire,  as,  in  his  agony  and  surprise,  he  raised  him 
self  high  above  the  surface.  We  all  recognized 
at  once  the  Hippopotamus,  as  he  is  represented  in 
books  of  natural  history. 

Our  subject  soon  got  a  little  cooler,  and  giving 
a  savage  roar,  bent  his  head  round  until  he  grasped, 
the  shank  of  the  iron  between  his  teeth.  With 
one  jerk  he  drew  it  out  of  his  bleeding  quarter, 
and  shaking  it  savagely,  dove  down  to  the  bottom. 
The  water  was  here  but  about  two  fathoms  deep, 
and  we  could  see  the  direction  in  which  he  was 
traveling  along  the  bottom,  by  a  line  of  blood,  as 
well  as  by  the  air  bubbles  which  rose  to  the  sur- 
face as  he  breathed. 

"  Give  me  another  iron,  Charley,  and  we'll  not 
give  him  a  chance  to  pull  it  out  next  time." 

The  iron  was  handed  up,  and  we  slowly  sailed 
in  the  direction  which  our  prize  was  following 
along  the  bottom. 

"  Here's  two  or  three  of  them  astern  of  as," 
said  the  boatsteerer. 

Just  then  two  more  rose,  one  on  either  side  of 
the  boat,  and  in  rather  unpleasant  proximity,  and 
before  we  had  begun  to  realize  our  situation,  the 
wounded  beast,  unable  any  longer  to  stay  beneath 
the  surface,  came  up  tc  breathe  just  ahead. 


A     SNARL.  151 

11  Pull  ahead  a  little ;  let's  get  out  of  thib  snarl. 
Lay  the  boat  around — so — now,  stern  all,"  and  the 
iron  was  planted  deep  in  the  neck  of  our  victim. 
WHh  a  roar  louder  than  a  dozen  of  the  wild  bulls 
of  Madagascar,  the  now  maddened  beast  made  for 
the  boat. 

Back  water ! — back,  I  say !  Take  down  this  boat- 
sail,  and  .item  all !  Stern,  for  your  lives,  men  !  " 
as  two  more  appeared  by  the  bows,  evidently  pre- 
pared to  assist  their  comrade.  He  was  making 
the  water  fly  in  all  directions,  and  having  failed 
to  reach  tl  e  boat,  was  now  vainly  essaying  to 
grasp  the  iron,  which  the  mate  had  purposely  put 
into  his  short  neck,  so  close  to  his  head  that  he 
could  not  got  it  in  his  mouth. 

"  Stick  oat  line  till  we  get  clear  of  the  school, 
and  then  we'll  pull  up  on  the  other  side  of  this 
fellow,  and  soon  settle  him  with  a  lance." 

This  was  done,  and  as  we  again  hauled  upon  the 
still  furious  beast,  the  mate  poised  his  bright 
lance  for  a  moment,  then  sent  it  deep  into  his 
heart.  With  a  tremendous  roar,  and  a  desperate 
final  struggle,  of  scarcely  a  minute's  duration,  our 
prize  gave  up  the  ghost,  and  after  sinking  for  a 
moment,  rose  again  to  the  surface,  lying  upon  hia 
ei'le,  just  as  does  the  whale  when  dead. 

His  companions  had  left  us,  and  we  now,  giving 
three  cheers  for  our  victory,  towed  the  carcass  to 
the  not  far  distant  shore.  It  was  luckily  high 
tide,  and  we  got  the  body  up  to  high  water  mark, 
where  the  speedily  receding  waves  left  it  ashore. 


152  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

When  we  here  viewed  the  giant,  and  thought  of  the 
singular  agility  he  had  displayed  in  the  water,  we 
could  not  help  acknowledging  to  one  another  that 
to  get  among  a  school  of  Hippopotami  would  bo 
rather  a  desperate  game. 

On  measuring,  we  found  our  prize  to  be  a  few 
inches  less  than  fifteen  feet  long  from  his  head  to 
the  commencement  of  his  short,  hairless  tail.  We 
could  not  measure  his  girth,  but  his  bulk  was 
enormous.  His  legs  were  disproportionately 
short,  giving  him,  conjointly  with  his  short  neck 
and  very  large  head,  an  awkward,  stolid  appear- 
ance, which  the  agility  he  displayed  in  the  water 
by  no  means  justified.  His  skin  was  very  thick 
and  very  tough,  and  almost  altogether  devoid  of 
hair.  His  head  was  shaped  a  little  like  that  of  an 
ox,  but  his  mouth  was  very  large,  and  furnished, 
aside  from  a  set  of  stout  grinders,  with  four  tusks, 
two  on  each  jaw,  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  long, 
which,  together  with  a  peculiarly  dull,  savage  ex- 
pression of  the  eye,  gave  him  a  most  wicked 
appearance. 

We  had  not  been  long  on  shore,  when  several 
natives  made  their  appearance.  They  testified 
much  joy  at  sight  of  our  prize,  and  went  through 
a  most  lively  pantomime,  from  which  we  gathered 
that  the  beasts  were  a  great  plague  to  them,  that 
the  meat  was  good  to  eat,  and  that  they  would 
like  a  portion.  The  hint  was  not  lost  upon  us, 
who  had  not  tasted  fresh  beef  for  some  six  months. 

"  What  say  you,  boys,  will  you  try  a  piece  of 


HIPPOPOTAMUS     STEAK.  153 

II 15  popotamus  steak  ?  "  proposed  the  mate;  and 
as  uo  one  dissented,  we  got  the  axes,  and  after 
considerable  chopping  and  hacking,  cut  off  the 
lead,  when  we  were  enabled  to  cut  ourselves  about 
twenty -five  pounds  of  what  appeared  to  be  toler- 
ably tender  meat,  off  the  fore  quarter. 

With  this  supply,  an_d  some  tusks  which  tht 
natives  gave  -us,  we  proceeded  on  board  to  relate 
our  adventure.  Our  steaks  were  cooked  for  sup- 
per; and  whether  it  was  that  we  were  blessed 
with  an  unusually  good  appetite,  that  the  cook 
excelled  himself  on  that  occasion,  or  that  the  meat 
was  actually  well  flavored,  certain  it  is  that  the 
steaks  were  delicious. 

We  paid  some  further  visits  to  the  shore,  but  at 
the  captain's  orders,  kept  out  of  the  way  of  the 
river-horses,  as  he  did  not  choose  to  risk  a  boat, 
and  perhaps  her  crew,  where  no  profit  was  to  be 
gained.  We  gathered  from  the  natives  that  the 
Hippopotami  infested  the  country  about  there  in 
great  herds,  and  often  in  one  night  destroyed  all 
the  rice  fields  in  the  neighborhood.  We  were 
.shown  two  large  pits,  on  the  borders  of  a  field,  in 
which  already  several  had  been  caught.  These 
holes  are  dug  by  the  natives  with  sticks  and 
rough  wooden  spades.  Sharp  stakes  are  driven 
in  the  bottom  ;  the  whole  trap  is  covered  over 
with  boughs  of  trees  and  old  wood,  that  it  may  took 
like  part  of  the  path  which  the  beasts  make  in 
their  daily  peregrinations  down  to  the  water  side, 
and  it  is  complete.  As  the  troop  comes  up  fron 


154  WHALING    AND     FISHlNQ. 

the  water  after  night,  on  an  incursion,  the  leader 
generally  falls  a  victim  to  the  ingenuity  of  the 
natives.  But  they,  not  having  any  weapons 
wherewith  U  despatch  their  huge  prize,  are  obliged 
;o  let  the  poor  beast  starve  to  death  in  his  narrow 
pit,  securing  thus  naught  but  their  revenge  and 
the  tusks,  which  last  are  valuable  as  ivory. 

Our  curiosity  had  been  aroused  to  see  an  entire 
herd  comii  g  up  out  of  the  water  to  go  inland, 
and  at  the  instance  of  the  captain,  a  party  of  us, 
including  him,  armed  ourselves  and  took  up  a 
position  the  next  evening  about  sunset,  just  on 
one  side  of  what  appeared  to  be  their  principal 
line  of  march,  among  a  thicket  of  large  trees. 
We  remained  at  our  stations,  in  the  dark,  until 
about  nine  o'clock,  listening  with  astonishment 
to  the  gambols  of  the  unwieldly  monsters  in  the 
water  close  to  us.  It  had  been  proposed,  (before 
coming  on  shore),  to  fire  at  the  herd  as  they  came 
past  our  hiding  place,  and  our  muskets  were 
loaded  with  ball  for  that  purpose.  But  the  first 
signs  of  their  coming  put  all  firing  out  of  our 
heads,  and  each  one  shrank  back  behind  his  tree, 
only  too  glad  to  escape  their  notice.  The  noiso 
they  made  in  coming  on,  was  as  though  a  tornado 
was  sweeping  through  the  woods.  The  roaring 
was  terrific ;  the  very  earth  seeming  to  tremble 
at  the  sound.  Three  of  us,  who  had  concealed 
ourselves  behind  an  enormous  tree,  where  we 
bad  been  merrily  boasting  of  how  we  woald 
"pop  down  the  Hippopotami,"  now  shrunk  close 


A     BACK     OUT  155 

together,  each  one  laying  down  his  musket,  leady 
for  instantaneous  flight. 

The  creatures  were  evidently  aware  of  oui 
presence,  for  as  they  passed  us  they  sniffed  the 
air  suspiciously,  and  breaking  into  a  waddling 
trot,  made  the  welkin  ring  with  such  deafening 
roars  that  for  awhile  it  seemed  as  if  all  the  beasts 
of  the  forest  had  joined  in  concert.  When  the 
troop  was  past  and  out  of  hearing,  we  crept  out 
of  our  hiding  places  and  hurried  down  to  the 
boats,  glad  to  escape  without  a  battle,  and  per- 
fectly willing  to  leave  hippopotamus  hunting  to 
those  who  were  better  provided  for  the  sport 
than  we. 


156  WHALING    AND    F  I  S  H  I  N  « 


CHAPTER   IX. 

No  WHALES— Tediousness  of  the  Life — Expedients  tc  L.  .  Tim* 
—The  Habits  of  Sperm  Whales— Their  Food— The  Sperm 
Whale  Squid— Its  Arms— The  Whale's  Teeth,  and  how  it  is 
supposed  that  he  uses  them — Means  of  Defense  possessed  by 
Whales— The  right  Whale— The  Humpback— Quickness  of 
Motion  of  a  Sperm  Whale — Lowering  in  a  Calm — Difficulty  of 
approaching  a  Whale  at  such  a  Time — He  Listens — Sudden 
disappearance — Chasing  a  Gallied  Whale — Rainy  Weather — 
Bourbon — Determination  to  leave  the  Vessel  at  the  first  Op- 
portunity— The  Coast  of  Madagascar — A  Story  of  St.  Mary's 
Shoal. 

IN  four  days  we  completed  our  supply  of  fuel, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth  after  our  arrival, 
once  more  set  sail  for  the  middle  of  the  channel. 
Our  last  whale  made  us  forty  barrels ;  we  had, 
therefore,  one  hundred  barrels  of  oil  on  board, 
which  at  so  early  a  period  of  our  voyage  (we  were 
not  seven  months  out),  was  considered  highly 
encouraging.  Yet  the  time  was  beginning  to 
hang  very  heavily  upon  our  hands,  and  our  expe- 
rience for  a  month  and  a  half  after  leaving  the 
Bazarootas — during  which  time  we  never  saw  a 
sperm  whale  spout — entirely  disgusted  me  with 
the  business. 

The  captain  proposed  to  go  into  port  for  refre*h> 


HOW     TO     KILL     TIME.  157 

menls,  when  we  had  three  hundred  barrels  of  oil 
on  board,  or  in  our  eleventh  month  out  from  home. 
Meantime,  however,  we  were  ever  in  the  vicinity  of 
some  shore.  Land  was  plainly  in  view  for  days 
at  a  time.  Either  the  blue  mountains  of  Mada 
gascar,  01  the  flat,  desert-like  beach  of  the  oppo 
Bite  African  coast,  were  ever  in  sight.  And  thus 
we  drifted  along,  day  after  day,  with  nought  but 
the  semi-occasional  trick  at  the  helm  or  masthead 
to  excite  the  sluggish  blood,  and  relieve  the  con- 
stant dullness  of  our  monotonous  lives. 

By  this  time  I  had  read  all  the  books  in  the 
ship  —  many  of  them  treatises  on  mathematics, 
political  economy,  and  other  dry  and  unenter- 
taining  subjects.  With  the  lassitude  inspired  by 
our  lazy  life,  even  the  spirit  for  reading  had  left 
me,  and  my  mind  refused  to  arouse  to  the  consider- 
ation of  an  author.  Card-playing  I  was  long  ago 
disgusted  with.  Sing,  I  could  not.  Stand  at  the 
masthead  when  it  was  not  my  turn,  I  would  not. 
And  so  I,  in  company  with  two  boatsteerers,  took 
to  whittling  as  a  last  resort,  and  with  the  help  of 
pieces  of  soft  wood  and  sharp  knives,  we  got 
through  some  weary  days,  and  many  feet  of  cedar 
plank.  One  resource  the  others  had,  of  which  I 
was  deprived — they  chewed  tobacco ;  and  a  quid 
engaged  not  only  their  jaws,  but  by  sympathy 
their  minds. 

I  no  longer  wondered  at  the  vacant  stare  and 
odd  manners  of  the  poor  fellows  on  board  the 
Betsy  Ann.  Their  long  confinement  on  board 


158  WHALING    AND     1SHINQ. 

ship,  tne  entire  absence  of  objects  by  the  consid* 
eration  of  which  their  minds  would  be  kept  in 
a  healthful  state  of  excitement,  the  wearsome 
monotony  of  their  every  day  life- — were  enough  to 
crush  any  mind,  however  strong.  I  watched  my . 
self  with  alarm,  lest  I  too  should  be  getting  into 
that  absent,  awkward  habit.  And  I  determined 
that  at  the  first  port  I  would  take  my  leave  of 
whaling — not  conceiving  that  I  was  bound  to 
remain  where  I  plainly  saw  that  both  mind  and 
body  would  wilt  away. 

Those  of  the  crew  who  could  sleep  the  greatest 
number  of  hours  were,  in  these  days,  the  happi- 
est. And  as  in  all  things  else,  so  in  sleeping, 
practice  makes  perfect :  so  that  ere  long  some  of 
my  worthy  shipmates  thought  no  harm  of  devo- 
ting from  thirteen  to  fifteen  hours  of  the  twenty- 
four  to  the  god  Morpheus. 

Meantime,  I  took  advantage  of  the  seasons  of  idle- 
ness, to  gratify  a  desire,  long  entertained,  to  know 
all  that  is  generally  known  of  the  habits  of  whales. 
Sitting  upon  the  booby -hatch,  whittling,  I  would 
ask  questions  of  the  boatsteerers,  until  they  some- 
times declared  me  to  be  an  arrant  bore.  The 
mates,  too,  were  pressed  into  my  service,  and 
many  a  tough  yarn,  as  well  as  many  scraps  of 
curious  information,  I  gathered  as  the  result  of 
these  random  questionings. 

Sperm  whales  feed  upon  an  animal  know/s 
among  whalemen  as  "squid,"  but  which  is,  I  te- 
lieve,  a  monster  species  of  cuttle  fish.  These. 


SQUID.  159 

like  their  smaller  congeners,  cling  to  the  rocks, 
the  larger  species  of  course,  having  their  haunts 
at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  while  the  smaller  fre- 
quent only  the  shores  of  bays. 

Yery  few  men  have  ever  seen  an  entire  squid 
or  sperm  whale  cuttle-fish,  and  I  incline  to  the 
belief  that  most  of  the  few  instances  on  record, 
of  their  appearance  at  the  surface,  are  apocryphal. 
Whalemen  believe  them  to  be  much  larger  than 
the  largest  whale,  even  exceeding  in  size  the  hull 
of  a  large  vessel ;  and  those  who  pretend  to  have 
been  favored  with  a  sight  of  the  body,  describe  it 
as  a  huge,  shapeless,  jelly-like  mass,  of  a  dirty 
yellow,  and  having  on  all  sides  of  it  long  arms, 
or  feelers,  precisely  like  the  common  rock -squid. 
This  animal  is  no  doubt  the  "kraken,"  of  which 
old  histories  speak  as  having  often  borne  down 
entire  ships  in  their  grasp,  and  as  able  to  annihil- 
ate a  fleet. 

The  animal  seldom  exhibits  itself  to  man;  but 
pieces  of  the  feelers  are  often  seen  afloat,  on  good 
whaling  ground.  I  have  examined  such  from  the 
boats,  and  found  them  to  consist  of  a  dirty  yel- 
low surface,  beneath  which  appeared  a  slimy, 
jelly-like  flesh.  Of  several  pieces  which  we  fell 
in  with  at  various  times  when  in  the  boats,  most 
had  on  them  portions  of  the  "sucker,"  or  air 
exhauster  with  which  the  common  cuttle-fish  is 
famished,  to  enable  him  to  hold  the  prey  aboit 
which  he  has  slung  his  snake-like  arms.  These 
floating  pieces  are  supposed  to  have  been  bittep 


160      ,          WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

or  torn  off  by  wkales,  while  feeding  at  the  bottom 
Many  of  those  we  saw  were  of  the  circumference 
^f  u.  flour  barrel.  If  this  be  the  size  of  the  arms, 
of  which  they  have  probably  hundreds,  each 
furnished  with  air  exhausters  the  size  of  a  dinner 
plate;  what  must  be  the  magnitude  of  the  body 
which  supports  such  an  array  ? 

The  teeth  of  a  sperm  whale,  which  are  found 
only  in  the  lower  jaw,  are  conical  in  shape,  coming 
to  a  round  dull  point  at  the  end.  They  set  in 
the  gum  in  such  a  position  as  to  hook  backward, 
and  can  be  moved  in  their  sockets  by  the  hand. 
Nevertheless  they  are  very  firmly  fixed,  having 
'  to  be  drawn  by  means  of  tackle.  Experienced 
whalemen  suppose  them  to  be  used  principally 
to  tear  loose  their  prey  from  the  rocks.  The 
sperm  whale  has  a  tolerably  capacious  gullet, 
which  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  sometimes, 
when  about  to  die,  he  vomits  forth  pieces  of  squid 
larger  than  a  barrel. 

There  is  I  think,  no  more  beautiful  exemplifica- 
tion of  the  wisdom  and  foresight  of  the  Creator, 
than  is  seen  in  the  instinct  and  means  of  defense 
given  to  each  of  the  principal  species  of  the  whale. 
The  sperm  whale  has  the  power  of  seeing  any 
object  which  approaches  him  from  any  point  on 
hi&  side,  his  eye,  to  this  purpose,  being  placed  at 
the  end  of  his  mouth,  and  nearly  one-third  his 
length  from  the  beginning  of  his  head.  He  can 
not  however,  see  the  approach  of  an  enemy 
from  right  astern  or  right  ahead.  But  here, 


THE     RIGHT     WHALE.  161 

Providence  has  placed  his  chief  defenses.  IVith 
his  huge  flukes,  he  strikes  perpendicular  blows 
upon  the  water,  or  at  any  object  which  may  annoy 
him  there,  while  with  his  tremendous  head,  or  still 
more  fearful  jaw,  he  destroys  all  which  comes 
within  reach.  He  has  likewise  an  acute  sense  of 
hearing,  although  his  outward  ear  is  no  larger 
than  a  pin-hole. 

The  right  whale,  on  the  other  hand,  can  not,  on 
account  of  the  peculiar  conformation  of  his  head, 
see  any  object  either  ahead  or  abreast  of  him,  but 
distinguishes  best  that  which  approaches  him  from 
behind.  To  protect  himself,  therefore,  against 
assailants  whom  he  can  not  see,  he  is  enabled  to 
sweep  with  his  tail  or  flukes  from  one  eye  to  the 
other,  thus  rendering  any  approach  to  his  body, 
from  abreast,  impossible  .or  highly  dangerous. 

The  hump-back,  who  is  but  a  poor  mongrel, 
partaking  of  the  nature  of  both  sperm  and  right 
whale,  invariably  runs  to  windward  on  being 
attacked,  and  that  with  such  velocity  as  to  make 
pursuit  almost  useless.  The  only  time  when  an 
attempt  to  take  one  of  these  fish  is  prudent,  is 
therefore,  in  a  cairns  On  such  occasions  the  poor 
brute  runs  vainly  round,  snuffing  for  the  breeze, 
and  quickly  falls  a  prey  to  his  enemy — man. 

Sperm  whales   are  no.w  much  scarcer  than  in 

years  past,  owing  to  the  number  of  vessels  which 

annually  fit  out  from  America  and  various  parts 

of  Europe,  partly  or  entirely  in  pursuit  of  them, 

11 


162  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

In  times  past,  when  they  were  not  so  continually 
worried  and  followed,  they  were  much  easier 
*o  approach,  although  often  giving  battle  wl  en 
attacked.  K'ow,  however,  the  utmost  care  if 
required  to  "  get  on  "  as  it  is  termed.  The  slightest 
noise  causes  them  to  disappear  with  marvelous 
celerity. 

Though  so  vast  and  apparently  unwieldy,  the 
motions  of  a  sperm  whale  are  sometimes  almost 
inconceivably  quick. 

We  had  left  the  Mozambique  Channel,  and 
slowly  sailed  down  the  eastern  coast  of  Madagas- 
car, toward  the  Isles  of  Bourbon  and  Mauritius. 
It  was  on  a  beautiful  calm  Sunday  morning,  that  the 
masthead-man  raised  a  large  sperm  whale,  about 
three  miles  off.  An  hour's  close  watching  con- 
vinced the  officers  that  he  was  feeding,  and  was 
entirely  unsuspicious  of  our  presence.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  he  turned  flukes,  and  we  lowered, 
and  pulled  up  to  what  we  thought  the  most 
advantageous  spots  to  await  his  rising.  A  nice 
little  breeze  had  by  this  time  sprung  up,  and  we 
set  our  boat  sail,  determining  to  sail  on  to  the 
whale,  should  he  come  up  near  us. 

The  whale  remained  beneath  the  surface  nearly 
an  hour,  an  evidence  that  he  was  a  large  fish.  We 
had  begun  to  think  he  was  gone  off,  when  he 
spouted  about  quarter  of  a  mile  from  us,  and  ir 
such  a  position  that  our  boat,  which  was  immedi- 
ately ahead  of  him,  was  the  only  one  that  conic' 


WHALING     IN     A     CALM.  163 

approach  him  unperceived.  The  others  remained 
•till,  while  we  pulled  aft  the  sheet,  and  let  the  boat 
mn  down  toward  him. 

The  sea  was  quite  smooth;  there  was  just 
enough  ripple  to  drown  the  noise  of  the  boat,  and 
icarcely  sufficient  breeze  to  fill  our  sail.  The 
whale  was  slowly  forging  ahead,  his  hoarse  deep 
toned  spout  sounding  strangely  over  the  quiet 
waters.  We  were  over  twenty  minates  making 
our  way  to  him.  In  this  time,  having  nothing  to 
do,  all  eyes  were  directed  to  the  motions  of  the 
fish. 

He  came  blindly  on,  that  part  of  his  head  show- 
ing above  the  water,  giving  one  the  idea  that  he 
had  been  sawed  square  off  in  front.  He  did  not 
advance  in  a  direct  line,  but  made  a  number  of 
little  alterations  in  his  course,  evidently  for  the 
purpose  of  guarding  against  an  enemy  in  any 
direction.  Every  few  minutes,  too,  he  would  stop 
altogether,  and  cautiously  lift  his  head  out  of 
water,  expressing  the  action  of  listening  for  a 
noise,  just  as  plainly  as  it  could  be  expressed. 
Hearing  nothing,  he  would  again  advance  on  his 
course. 

The  length  of  time  we  consumed  in  our  ap- 
proach, as  well  as  the  extreme  caution  necessary 
on  such  a  quiet,  calm  day,  made  it  a  scene  and 
time  of  great  excitement  to  us  all.  We  were 
gradually  but  surely  nearing  him.  Now  the  mate 
raised  his  hand,  a  signal  to  the?  boatsteerer  to 
seize  his  iron.  We  were  sitting  on  our  thwarts, 


164  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

but  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  everything 
was  forgotten  in  watching  the  motions  of  the  fish. 
On  he  came,  blindly  and  unsuspectingly  rushing 
X)  his  death.  Wswere  already  within  two  boats' 
lengths  of  him.  But  now  he  stops  suddenly. 
He  listens  u  moment,  but  again  proceeds.  We 
think  ourselves  already  fast,  when  the  boatsteer- 
er  whispers, 

"  Let  them  pull  a  good  stroke— I  fancy  the 
whale  knows  we're  here."  The  mate  shook  his 
head ;  we  were  almost  within  dart,  and.  he  would 
not  risk  it  Now  he  heaves  his  head  out  of  the 
water  again. 

"Heave  your  iron  into  him!"  shrieks  the 
mate. 

The  boatsteerer  darts  his  best— but  too  late. 

Even  as  we  looked,  and  without  any  motion 
other  than  that  slight  toss  of  the  head,  the  whale 
disappeared  from  our  sight. 

"  That's  magic,"  said  one  of  the  boat's  crew. 

To  me,  so  sudden  was  the  act,  it  seemed  just  as 
though  the  vast  mass  had  been  suspended  in 
space,  and  the  suspensor  had  been  suddenly  cut 
asunder. 

Now  came  the  labor  of  the  day.  The  whale 
was  gallied — that  is  to  say,  frightened.  He  was 
Aware  of  our  presence,  but  with  a  perversity  com- 
mon  */o  sperm  whales  under  such  circumstances, 
would  not  at  once  abdicate  the  ground.  From 
the  time  of  his  lightning-like  disappearance — 
about  noon— till  sunset,  our  four  boats  chased  him; 


GALLIED     WHALES  168 


and  never  at  any  time,  except  when  he 
was  he  more  than  three  ship's  lengths  off 

His  course  was  a  huge  circle,  many  miles  in 
circumference.  His  speed  was  just  such  as  to 
keep  our  boats  at  a  safe  distance.  I  could  not 
help  giving  the  wretched  animal  credit  for  gieal 
intelligence,  for  the  ingenuity  with  which  he  kept 
up  the  ardor  of  our  pursuit,  without  permitting 
himself  to  be  caught.  When  he  sounded,  he  kept 
up  his  usual  headway,  and  on  his  regular  course, 
so  that  by  pulling  as  hard  as  we  could  for  three 
quarters  of  an  hour,  in  the  hope  to  get  fast  the 
next  rising,  we  would  find  ourselves,  when  he  re- 
appeared, at  just  the  same  distance  astern  of  him 
that  we  were  when  he  was  last  seen.  At  sunset 
we  were  obliged  to  give  up  the  chase,  and  returned 
on  board,  wearied  and  hungry.  We  had  after- 
ward several  long  chases  after  gallied  sperm- 
whales,  always  without  effect,  and  invariably  led 
by  the  nose,  as  it  were,  by  the  whales  keeping  but 
little  ways  ahead  of  the  boats,  holding  out  contin- 
ual hope  that  we  might,  in  a  moment  of  un  wari- 
ness on  their  part,  get  fast,  and  gain  a  prize. 

The  eastern  coast  of  Madagascar  is  an  unpleas- 
ant whaling  ground,  on  account  of  the  constant 
rains  which  prevail  there.  Part  of  the  day  ia 
generally  fine  ;  but  seldom  an  entire  day  passea 
without  a  rain  squall,  and  not  unfreque;.  cly,  when 
cruising  near  the  land,  the  rain  lasts  day  and 
night  for  a  week.  The  weather,  withal,  ig  un- 
comfortably cool,  and  on  shipboard,  where  t  ii 


166  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

sufficiently  difficult  to  keep  dry  under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances,  great  discomfort  ensues. 

But  rainy  weather  is  made  no  account  of  in  a 
"spouter."  If  whales  are  seen,  the  boats  are 
lowered  in  the  middle  of  the  most  violent  sq'iall. 
Sundays  and  rainy  days  are  no  holidays  in  the 
whaling  serv/'ce. 

"When  our  cruise,  however,  extended  over  toward 
Bourbon  and  the  Isle  of  France,  we  had  again 
delightful  weather.  One  day  we  sighted  Bour- 
bon, and  sailed  close  into  the  land,  in  order  to  ex- 
amine thoroughly  for  whales.  The  island  is  very 
mountainous,  and  has,  lying  as  it  does  in  the  track 
of  the  Trades,  a  weather  and  lee  side.  It  was  the 
lee  side  which  we  now  approached.  I  never  in 
my  life  saw  a  more  enchanting  country.  In  the 
distance  were  the  blue  mountain  peaks,  thrown  in 
uncouth  volcanic  masses  against  the  sky.  In  the 
foreground  was  a  narrow  strip  of  beach,  dotted 
with  white  houses,  peeping  forth  from  umbrageous 
groves.  And  rising  above  these,  was  the  hill  side, 
every  inch  of  which  for  miles,  was  in  the  highest 
state  of  cultivation.  Here  were  the  plantations 
of  sugar,  coffee,  cloves,  and  tobacco.  Each  field 
was  bordered  by  neat  rows  of  coffee  trees,  be- 
tween which  ran  the  streets.  The  whole  appeared 
in  the  most  perfect  order,  and  the  scene,  viewed 
from  a  distance  of  a  mile  at  sea,  was  enchanting 
beyond  description.  It  was  like  the  realization 
of  a  dream  of  Arcadie. 

The  rsader  can  easily  imagine  the  feelings  with 


BOURBON.  167 

which  we  sailed  past  so  beauteous  a  land  without 
being  permitted  to  place  our  feet  on  its  shores. 
For  an  entire  week  did  we  .ruise  around  this  de- 
lightful isle,  never  more  than  five  miles  from  its 
bold  shores.  It  was  a  torture  fit  for  Tantalis, 
And  I  vowed  that  let  me  once  get  my  foot  on 
shore,  any  where,  I  would  bid  good-bye  to  a  ser- 
vice in  which  such  treatment  was  considered  le- 
gitimate. The  balance  of  our  crew  were  also 
dissatisfied,  and  longed  to  have  a  run  over  the 
beautiful  land  so  long  in  view.  Even  the  boat- 
steerers  grumbled.  But  the  captain  gave  us 
plainly  to  understand  that  before  we  had  three 
hundred  barrels  of  oil  on  board,  we  need  not  ex- 
pect a  run  ashore — "  and  even  then,"  added  he, 
coolly,  "you  need  not  expect  to  go  ashore  on 
Bourbon." 

Thought  I,  let  me  get  ashore  once,  and  Til  take 
care  of  the  balance. 

On  standing  over  toward  Madagascar  again, 
after  a  fruitless  search  for  whales,  we  one  day  fell 
in  with  ti  New  London  vessel,  the  James  Eodgers, 
the  captain  of  which  proposed  to  our  captain  that, 
as  sperm  whales  seemed  to  be  scarce,  and  it  was 
hist  the  season  for  humpbacking,  we  should  make 
i  joint  expedition  to  one  of  the  bays  in  Madagas- 
car, "  Where,"  said  he,  "  from  my  former  experi- 
ence, I  know  we'll  get  some  fish." 

Our  captain  liked  the  idea,  and  it  was  agreed 
that  we  should  cruise  for  a  week  in  company, 
looking  for  speim  whales,  and  if  none  wore  in 


168  WHALING     VND     F13HINO. 

that  time  seen,  the  two  vessels  should  proceed 
into  the  bay  of  Antongil,  on  the  north-east  coast 
of  the  island,  and  try  for  humpbacks. 

The  James  Eodgers  had  been  out  a  year,  and 
had  done  tolerably  well.  She  was  now  just  froir 
the  coast  of  New  Holland,  where  they  had  "  hump, 
backed  and  sperm-whaled  it,"  so  the  crew  said, 
"until  all  hands  were  worn  out." 

They  seemed  to  dread  the  bay  whaling.  But 
we,  to  whom  it  was  something  new — no  one  but 
our  skipper  having  ever  been  at  it  before — thought 
it  rather  a  good  idea  —  particularly  as  by  its 
means  we  should  have  an  occasional  run  on  shore. 
At  the  expiration  of  one  week  of  trial,  both  ves- 
sels were  headed  to  the  north,  and  the  crews  were 
i  nformed  that  we  were  now  bound  on  a  humpback 
cruise. 

Meantime  we  were  again  in  the  rainy  climate. 
ESvery  day  it  rained.  For  days  the  sky  is  leaden 
and  gloomy,  the  clouds  being  apparently  sur- 
charged with  rain.  The  winds,  too,  are  shifting 
and  squally,  while  water-spouts  are  constantly  in 
sight.  Little  harmless  eddy  winds,  which  cause 
the  spouts,  may  be  seen  starting  up  and  sailing 
along  in  all  directions.  Sometimes  the  ship  is 
beset  with  them  ;  the  foresails  get  the  benefit  of 
one  breeze,  while  the  after  sails  are  filled  with 
a  quite  different  and  contrary  one.  On  the  fore- 
castle a  torrent  of  rain  will  be  falling,  whiJe  the 
quarter-deck  and  poop  are  perfectly  dry;  and 
sometimes,  the  toj>-gallant-sails  will  be  filled  with 


MADAGASCAR. 

a  strong  breeze,  while  not  a  breath  stirs  the  lower 
sails.  The  nights  are  dark  as  Erebus,  even  the 
full  moon  being  able  to  send  only  occasionally  a 
fitful  gleam  through  the  dull  opaque  clouds.  The 
days  are  gloomy  and  dispiriting,  being  made  up 
of  alternate  squalls  of  rain  and  wind.  Such  is 
the  eastern  coast  of  Madagascar — a  most  uninvi- 
ting cruising  ground. 

It  was  while  making  our  way  toward  Antongil 
Bay  that,  on  one  dark,  gloomy  day,  the  captain 
sent  several  men  aloft,  to  look  out  for  shoals.  He 
was  himself,  at  the  same  time,  continually  start- 
ing into  the  rigging,  and  peering  anxiously  about 
with  his  spy-glass.  "We  did  not  judge  ourselves 
near  the  land,  and  had  therefore  some  curiosity 
to  learn  whether  any  shoals  could  be  seen. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  there  are  some  breakers 
on  the  lee  bow,  but  I  can  see  nothing  for  the  sea 
to  break  against,"  sung  out  the  mate,  who  had 
been  sent  aloft  to  look  out. 

"  That's  it — where  away  on  the  lee  bow  is  the 
surf?" 

"  About  four  points." 

The  vessel  was  kept  away  a  little,  and  as  there 
was  quite  a  breeze,  we  were  soon  able  to  see  from 
the  deck  a  long  line  of  white,  where  the  sea  broke 
upim  the  edge  of  a  huge  sand-bank. 

The  bank  itself,  owing  to  its  color,  we  could  not 
see  till  we  were  closer  in.  It  was  a  dreary  and 
wo-begone  place,  and  a  sight  of  it  prepared  me  to 
appreciate  the  tale  of  horrible  cruelty  which  is  con- 


170  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

nected  with  it.  The  bank  is  about  two  miles  long, 
by  half  a  mile  wide,  and  apparently  lies  just  above 
the  water's  edge.  With  a  stiff  top  gallant  breeze, 
mcl  as  we  had,  the  surf  did  not  break  entirely 
over  it,  but  it  would  have  required  but  a  slight 
increase  of  wind  to  force  the  breakers  over  the 
shallow  barriers.  The  low,  dull  roar  of  the  surf 
seemed  a  funeral  dirge  over  the  graves  of  many 
poor  fellows  who  have  here  struggled  for  the  last 
time  with  death.  Not  a  tree  or  shrub,  not  even 
a  blade  of  grass,  could  be  seen  on  the  entire  bank; 
nothing  but  sand  and  breakers. 

As  I  thought  how  easily,  even  in  broad  day- 
light, a  vessel  might  run  upon  this  hidden  dan- 
ger, lying,  as  it  does,  just  in  the  track  of  ships 
bound  to  some  of  the  ports  of  Madagascar,  and 
as  I  thought  further  how  hopeless  would  be 
the  fate  of  those  who  should  be  shipwrecked  here, 
an  inward  prayer  arose  that  such  might  never  be 
my  fate. 

"  That's  a  bad  place  to  get  on,"  said  the  old  man 
to  me. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"There's  a  story  told  of  this  St.  Mary's  shoal,  as 
it  is  called,  that  makes  me  shudder  every  time  I  see 
the  cursed  place.  Some  ten  or  a  dozen  years  ago, 
slavers  used  occasionally  to  get  a  cargo  on  this 
east  coast,  all  the  vigilance  of  the  French  and 
English  cruisers  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 
There  was  then  a  slave  factory  at  Nos  Beh,  (now 
a  French  settlement  on  the  northern  extremity  of 


ST.    MARY'S    SHOAL  171 

Madagascar).  A  ship  having  on  board  seven  hun« 
dred  poor  slaves,  in  making  her  way  from  Nos 
Beh  to  the  southward,  got  upon  this  shoal.  It 
was  happily  in  the  day  time,  and  although  the 
vessel  was  wrecked,  they  had  time  to  release  the 
poor  blacks,  and  with  their  help  to  catch  a  supply 
of  provisions  and  water  from  the  various  articles 
which  floated  ashore  from  the  wreck.  They  built 
themselves  rude  huts  upon  the  highest  part  of  the 
bank,  and  here  remained,  waiting  for  a  passing 
vessel.  ^ 

"Day  after  day,  however,  passed  away  and  no 
succoring  ship  hove  in  sight;  and  they  saw  with 
dismay  their  supply  of  provisions,  and  particu- 
larly their  water,  getting  low.  In  this  emergency, 
a  new  thought  entered  the  minds  of  the  whites. 
On  the  adjoining  coast  of  Madagascar,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  about  seventy-five  or  one  hundred  miles, 
is  located  the  French  settlement  and  fort  of  St. 
Mary's.  They  could  make,  a  small  raft  Of  the  por- 
tions of  their  ship  which  had  drifted  ashore,  and 
with  this  steer  to  the  mainland,  taking  advantage 
of  a  favorable  breeze. 

"To  procure  the  assent  and  aid  of  their  black 
victims  to  this  plan,  they  promised  them  most 
solemnly  to  send  a  vessel  to  their  help  immedi- 
ately on  their  arrival  in  St.  Mary's.  But,  scoun- 
drels as  they  were,  the  thought  had  already 
struck  them  that  by  informing  the  French  author- 
ities of  the  presence,  upon  the  shoals,  of  these 
slaves,  they  would  get  themselves  into  trouble 


172  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

and  so  they  concluded  to  make  tlioir  own  way 
safely,  and  leave  the  blacks  to  their  fate. 

"The  raft,  after  infinite  trouble,  was  built.  A 
large  share  of  the  remaining  water  and  provis 
ions  were  placed  on  it,  that  th  3  whites  might  bft 
sure  to  reach  the  shore,  and  then,  bidding  the  poor 
slaves  "  good-by,"  and  assuring  them  of  their 
speedy  return  with  aid,  they  spread  a  sail  to  the 
breeze,  and  were  soon  out  of  sight.  What  long 
days  of  agonized  expectation  the  poor  blacks 
passed  upon  that  bleak  shoal;  how,  gradually,  as 
it  were  hour  by  hour,  hope  died  from  their  breasts ; 
how,  as  their  little  remnant  of  provisions  failed, 
they  began  to  die  off,  and  how  the  survivors, 
brought  to  the  last  extremity  of  suffering,  were 
obliged  to  subsist  upon  their  deceased  friends  ; 
how  anxiously  they  peered  across  the  wild  waste 
of  water  which  surrounded  and  threatened  to 
engulf  them,  and  how  each  sun  rose  upon  a  fresl" 
accumulation  of  the  dead  and  dying — all  this  was 
told  by  the  one  lone  survivor  of  six  hundred  who 
had  landed  upon  the  bank.  A  St.  Mary's  coaster 
passing  by  the  shoal,  saw  upon  it  some  signs  of  a 
wreck,  and  approaching  nearer,  was  able  to  dis- 
cover the  forms  of  men  lying  about  upon  tho 
sand.  Effecting  a  landing  at  the  risk  of  their 
lives,  they  found  but  one  poor  Madagassy  left 
ftlive,  and  took  him  with  them.  It  was  found, 
afterward,  that  the  wretches  of  the  raft,  fearful 
that  mention  of  their  companions  in  misfortune 
would  get  them  into  a  French  prison,  told  a  story 


ST.    MARY'S    SHOAL  173 

of  having  been  in  a  leaky  vessel,  ana  abandoned 
her  at  sea,  and  stated  that  they  were  the  last  rem- 
nant  of  the  sufferers. 

As  the  captain  told  me  this  story,  the  long,  low 
ahoal  was  just  astern  of  us,  the  surf  was  still  boom- 
".ng  in  our  ears,  and  a  shudder  of  horror  ran 
through  me  at  such  wanton  barbarity  and  heart 
leas  selfishness. 


174  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 


CHAPTER   X. 

SOMETHING  furtner  concerning  the  habits  of  Whales  —  Tb« 
Humpback  —  Their  liability  to  Sink  when  dead  —  Antongil 
Bay — Our  Anchorage— The  denizens  of  the  Jungle — Our  first 
Whaling  day — A  Word  concerning  the  Weal/her — Actions  of 
Whales — Close  of  the  first  Day — The  Night — Another  Del- 
uge—We get  fast — The  Whale  spouts  Blood — Tenacity  of 
Life  —  Towing  a  dead  Whale  —  Cutting-in — Trying  out — A 
**  Cow  and  a  Calf" — Strong  affection  of  the  Mother-Whale — 
How  Whalemen  take  advantage  of  this — The  Calf  is  killed— 
The  Sharks  eat  up  our  Whale — Scaring  a  Humpback—Its 
Results. 

A  FEW  days  after  seeing  the  St.  Mary's  shoal, 
and  hearing  its  story  as  related  in  the  last  chapter, 
we  sailed  into  Antongil  bay.  This  is  a  large  inlet 
on  the  east  coast  of  the  island  of  Madagascar,  in 
about  latitude  16°  south,  and  longitude  50°  east. 
It  is  over  fifty  miles  deep,  and  about  twenty-five 
miles  wide  at  the  mouth.  At  the  bottom  of  this 
extensive  bay,  and  under  lee  of  a  small  island, 
our  two  ships  were  brought  to  anchor,  and  here 
it  was  determined  we  should  remain  at  least  a 
month,  to  try  for  humpbacks. 

The  females  of  these  whales,  as  well  as  of  the 
right  whale,  frequent  bays  and  shallow  waters 
yearly,  when  their  time  of  calving  comes  on,  to 
drop  their  young,  remaining  in  the  smooth  wateri 


HUMPBACKS.  175 

antil  the  young  leviathan  has  gained  strength 
sufficient  to  shift  for  himself  on  the  broad  ocean. 
These  occasions  are  taken  advantage  of  by  whale- 
men, and  great  numbers  of  the  old  fish  are  slain 
annually  in  the  many  unfrequented  bays  of  Africa 
and  South  America. 

Whalemen  assert  that  the  sperm  whale  mother 
also  approaches  the  land  to  give  birth  to  her 
young,  but  her  haunts  have,  I  believe,  never 
been  discovered,  and  this  is,  therefore,  more  a 
probability  gathered  from  analogy,  than  an  ascer- 
tained fact.  The  right  whale  mother  is  very  care- 
ful to  choose  a  retired  and  unfrequented  roadstead 
for  the  scene  of  her  maternal  labors,  and  bays  on 
the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  which  were  formerly 
noted  as  the  annual  resort  of  great  numbers  of 
these  animals,  have  been  altogether  deserted  by 
them  shortly  after  the  whalemen  got  among  them. 
The  humpback,  however,  the  most  stupid  of 
whales,  clings  obstinately  to  the  place  it  has  once 
chosen,  and  thus  numbers  of  these  fish  are  annu- 
ally taken  in  the  great  bays  of  New  Holland, 
Madagascar  and  Africa. 

"When  this  species  of  whale  is  met  with  at  sea, 
it  is  seldom  thought  worth  lowering  after,  for  the 
reason  that  it  is  exceedingly  hard  to  kill,  runs  to 
windward  at  great  speed  on  being  struck,  and 
generally  sinks  when  killed.  When  a  dead  fish 
sinks  at  sea  (and  this  sometimes  occurs  with  right 
whales  as  well  as  hump  backs),  he  is  of  course 
lost.  In  soundings  however,  the  case  is  different. 


176 


WHALING    AND     FISHING. 


The  whale  is  anchored,  and  a  large  buoy  is  left  to 
mark  his  place  under  water.  The  progress  of 
decay  evolves  certain  gasses  in  his  body,  which 
being  lighter  than  the  water,  raise  the  body  to 
the  surface;  and  once  there,  it  is  again  taken 
possession  of  by  its  captors. 


A  iPERM  WHALE. 


As  in  the  bays  of  tropical  countries  the  strong 
sea  breeze  generally  alternates  with  a  mild  and 
genial  land  breeze,  the  humpback  in  running  to 
windward  does  not  so  often  get  beyond  reach  of 
his  pursuers,  and  although  hard  to  kill,  generally 
falls  a  prey  to  a  good  whaleman,  when  struck 
during  the  prevalence  of  the  land  wind. 

As   we  sailed  down  the  great  bay,  the  waters 


OUR   ANCHORAGE.  177 

seemed  alive  with  whales.  It  was  evidently  the 
hight  of  the  season,  and  we  congratulated  ourselves 
in  advance,  upon  the  havoc  we  should  make  among 
the  fish  At  the  bpttom  of  the  bay  was  a  small 
island,  about  three  miles  in  circumference.  In  a 
sheltered  nook  on  the  lee  side  of  this  island,  we 
brought  our  ships  to  anchor,  under  the  direction 
of  the  captain  of  the  James  Eodgers,  who  had 
been  here  before.  Having  safely  moored  the  ves- 
sels, we  unbent  the  light  sails,  and  made  other 
preparations  for  a  lengthy  stay. 

Having  fixed  upon  a  convenient  landing  place 
on  the  shore,  we  rolled  up  our  empty  water  casks, 
to  be  filled  before  going  away.  Hore  too,  a  tent 
was  erected,  in  which  the  armorer  and  carpenter 
could  work,  and  under  shelter  of  which  the  crew 
could  rest  when  ashore. 

The  island,  which  consisted  of  a  high  mountain, 
bordered  by  a  narrow  strip  of  beach,  was  covered 
from  the  waterside  up  with  a  dense  mass  of  trees 
and  undergrowth,  forming  an  impenetrable  jungle. 
This  jungle,  so  said  the  captain  of  the  James 
Rodgers,  was  inhabited  by  a  few  wild  cats,  or 
leopards,  and  numerous  monkeys  and  flying  foxes. 
It  was  infested  likewise,  as  we  afterward  found, 
with  great  numbers  of  serpents  of  various  kinds, 
but  chiefly  by  a  species  of  anaconda,  some  of  which> 
that  we  killed,  were  fourteen  feet  long. 

On  the  day  after  our  arrival,  our  whaling  duties 
began.  We  were  called  out  at  half  past  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  cook  having  beep 
12 


178  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

roused  at  four,  had  our  breakfast  in  readiness,  and 
after  devoting  fifteen  minutes  to  this,  "  lower 
away  "  was  shouted,  and  all  hands  were  immedi- 
ately called  into  the  boats.  It  was  <jf  course  not 
yet  daylight,  but  we  at  once  stood  for  the  lower 
part  of  the  bay,  which  being  with  the  morning 
land  breeze  the  extreme  windward,  was  the  scene 
of  our  primary  operations. 

After  pulling  away  about  three  quarters  of  an 
hour  we  began  to  hear  whales — some  breaching, 
some  making  the  white-water  fly,  others  under 
headway,  and  spouting  with  a  loud  metallic  sound 
very  closely  resembling  the  puffing  of  a  Mississipp . 
steamboat.  It  was  not  yet  quite  daylight.  The 
rain— it  had  rained  ever  since  we  lowered— was 
pouring  down  in  torrents,  the  air  was  chilly,  and 
when  not  pulling,  we  sat  shivering  in  the  boat, 
the  water  running  from  our  clothes,  much  as 
though  we  had  been  standing  under  a  Brobdig 
nagian  shower-bath. 

At  six  o'clock  it  was  fairly  light  enough  to 
work.  On  taking  a  survey  of  the  ground,  we 
found  ourselves  at  the  entrance  to  a  little  bight  of 
the  shore,  about  a  mile  deep,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  some  whales  were  seen  disporting  them- 
selves  in  the  rain,  which  they  evidently  enjoyed. 
It  had  been  arranged  that  our  eight  boats,  (the 
Jas.  Eodgers  was  a  four-boat  ship),  should  cruise 
in  parties  of  two.  Our  partner  was  the  third 
mate  of  the  Kodgers.  Hailing  him,  a  short  COD 
saltation  was  held,  the  result  of  which  was  a 


A     WHITE-ASil     BAEEZE.  179 

determination  to  pull  intc  the  bight,  and  try  the 
fish  we  there  saw.  The  other  boats,  meanwhile, 
were  posted  on  different  parts  of  the  ground,  each 
two  choosing  for  themselves  a  special  portion,  and 
paying  exclusive  attention  to  the  whales  thoy 
found  there. 

We  spent  the  entire  forenoon  in  a  fruitless 
chase  of  the  humpbacks,  who  seemed  to  dodge 
the  boats  with  the  utmost  ease,  and  while  appa- 
rently not  attending  at  all  to  our  movements,  took 
care  never  to  come  within  dart  of  our  irons. 

They  had  none  of  the  regularity  of  the  sperm 
whale,  and  their  motions,  unlike  his,  could  not  be 
counted  upon.  The  land  breeze  was  very  weak, 
for  which  reason  we  were  obliged  to  use  the  oars, 
and  substitute  what  whalemen  call  a  "  white  ash 
breeze,"  (in  allusion  to  our  oars  being  generally 
made  of  that  kind  of  wood),  for  the  natural  air. 

About  twelve  o'clock  we  took  a  little  rest  and 
ate  our  dinners,  consisting  of  sundry  biscuits, 
interlaid  with  pieces  of  salt  junk.  Up  to  this 
time  none  of  the  boats  had  succeeded  in  getting 
fast,  much  to  our  disappointment ;  for  when  on  the 
previous  day  we  saw  how  numerous  were  the 
whales,  we  had  imagined  it  to  be  henceforth  an 
easy  and  every-day  matter  to  kill  them.  Shortly 
after  dinner  the  sea-breeze  set  in.  At  the  first 
puff  the  whales  were  thrown  into  the  greatest 
excitement,  and  snorting  louder  than  ever,  started 
tbr  the  mouth  of  the  bay. 

We  Gould  now  use  our  sails,  and  made  haste  to 


18C  WHALING    AND     FISHING 

put  them  up.  With  the  breeze  came  in  a  very 
disagreeable  chop  sea,  which  made  pulling  straight 
to  windward  except  for  short  distances,  almost 
impossible.  Et  was  therefore  necessary  to  beat  to 
windward  under  sail,  and  thus  try  to  head  off  the 
whales.  In  this  we  did  jiot  succeed — nor  was  any 
one  of  the  boats  that  day  so  fortunate  as  t*  f&i 
within  dart  of  a  whale. 

The  rain  ceased  at  about  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M., 
and  the  sea-breeze,  clear  and  bracing,  soon  dried 
our  bodies  and  our  clothes,  so  that  by  the  time  we 
returned  on  board,  at  four  o'clock,  no  change  of 
dress  was  necessary.  After  our  return,  we  took 
a  short  run  on  shore,  killing  within  fifteen  min- 
utes after  landing,  three  serpents,  each  over  eleven 
feet  long.  They  lay  at  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
coiled  up  neatly,  and  apparently  stupefied.  They 
made  no  resistance,  but  displayed  the  usual  snake- 
'ike  tenacity  of  life. 

Supper  at  five  and  bed  at  six,  finished  one  of 
the  most  disagreeable  and  unsatisfactory  days  we 
had  passed  on  the  voyage. 

Meantime  the  officers  held  a  council,  and  ar- 
ranged the  programme  for  the  morrow,  which 
differed,  however,  in  nothing  from  that  of  the  day 
past,  but  that  we  should  go  closer  in  shore,  as 
it  was  there  the  cow  whales  would  most  probably 
bo  found  with  their  young.  Ordera  were  at  the 
same  time  given,  not  to  fasten  to  a  bull  whale 
until  the  sea-breeze  set  in,  when,  as  the  fortunes 
of  the  day  would  by  that  time  be  pretty  well 


"THE     GREAT     RAIN."  181 

decided,  any  one  was  at  liberty  to  strike  what  he 
could  get  on  to.  This  restriction  was  rendered 
necessary  by  the  fact  the  male  humpback  invari- 
ably runs  on  being  struck,  and  moreover,  turns 
out  for  his  size  a  much  smaller  quantity  of  oil 
than  the  female. 

1  fell  asleep,  earnestly  hoping  that  it  would  rail 
no  more  while  we  remained  here,  and  anticipating, 
from  the  beautiful  starlit  and  cloudless  sky  with 
which  I  had  regaled  my  eyes  before  going  .below, 
that  to-morrow,  at  any  rate,  would  be  a  fine  day. 
At  ten  o'clock — four  bells  in  the  first  watch — I 
was  called  out  to  take  an  anchor  watch,  and  on 
proceeding  to  the  deck,  found  the  sky  of  a  leaden 
color,  not  a  star  visible,  and  everything  looking 
as  though  "the  great  rain"  was  about  to  set  in. 
At  eleven  o'clock,  the  skies  opened,  and  it  began 
to  pour  down  in  such  sheets  and  masses  as  can 
only  be  witnessed  in  the  tropics ;  and  thus  it  con- 
tinued without  intermission  until  eleven  o'clock 
the  next  day,  when  the  sea-breeze  set  in,  the  sky 
became  clear,  the  air  once  more  bracing,  the  sun 
shone  out  cheerily,  and  nature  resumed  her  Sun- 
day look. 

At  five  A.  M.,  when  we  lowered,  the  rain  wae 
pouring  down  in  such  torrents  that  one  man 
was  obliged  continually  to  bail  rain  water  out  of 
the  boat ;  while  we  could  not  see  two  ship's  lengths 
ahead  through  the  sheets  of  water.  The  yester- 
day's maneuvers — pulling  to  the  bottom  of  the 
bay,  there  saJing  about  when  the  breeze  would 


1.82  WHALING    AND 

favor  us,  making  vain  attempts  upon  whales,  wnc 
only  spouted  at  us,  as  it  were,  in  scorn,  and  finally 
striking  out  for  the  outer  bay,  as  with  the  strength- 
ening sea-breeze  the  whales  made  off  in  that  direc- 
tion— all  these  motions  were  repeated,  but  again 
w'thout  success.  Not  a  boat  had  the  good  fortune 
to  get  fast,  and  we  returned  on  board,  at  four 
o'clock,  much  dispirited,  and  wearied  with  fruit- 
less toil.  After  going  on  shore,  trying  to  kill  a 
monkey,  of  which  animals  however  but  few 
showed  themselves  near  the  beach,  and  killing 
two  more  snakes,  one  fourteen  feet  in  length, 
we  ate  sapper,  and  with  every  promise  of  a  beau- 
tiful day  on  the  morrow,  deposited  our  tired  bodies 
in  the  berths. 

These  two  days  were  fair  samples  of  the  duty 
we  performed  during  our  stay  here  of  over  a 
month.  Every  morning,  without  a  single  excep- 
tion, it  rained  in  torrents;  and  every  morning, 
without  a  single  exception — ("  no  Sundays  in  tec 
fathom  of  water,"  say  whalemen) — precisely  at 
five  o'clock  we  started  out  and  chased  whales  until 
the  sea  breeze  became  too  strong,  or  the  whales 
had  all  disappeared  to  windward. 

"We  took  six  whales  during  our  stay,  one  of 
which  was  completely  eaten  by  ground  sharks, 
with  which  the  bay  seemed  at  times  alive. 

It  was  on  the  fourth  day  after  our  arrival,  that 
our  boat  got  upon  the  track  of  a  whale  who 
seemed  disinclined  to  get  out  of  our  way.  He 
had  dodged  us  for  half  a  dozen  risings,  coming  up 


A     LAZY      WHALE.  182 

in  iuLexpe3ted  places,  and  lying  quite  still  till  we 
were  almost  upon  him,  when  suddenly  he  would 
disappear,  only  to  show  himself  perhaps  in  the 
very  spot  from  which  he  had  before  started.  The 
mate  at  last,  wearied  with  chasing  him,  concluded 
to  remain  quite  still  and  notice  his  maneuvers 
For  several  risings  we  watched  him  very  closely, 
and  at  last,  with  his  suspicions  apparently  lulled, 
he  came  to  the  surface  not  half  a  dozen  boat's 
lengths  off. 

To  lay  the  boat  around  and  pull  for  him,  might 
and  main,  was  the  work  of  but  a  few  minutes.  We 
were  upon  him  before  he  was  aware  of  our  pres- 
ence, and  with  a  loud  hurrah,  the  boatsteerer 
planted  an  iron  in  his 'back. 

No  sooner  were  we  fast,  than  three  other  boats, 
which  had  been  cruising  in  the  vicinity,  came  to 
our  aid.  The  whale,  after  sounding — an  operation 
which  did  not  amount  to  much  in  ten  fathoms 
water,  ran  a  little  ways,  and  then  stopped,  evidently 
at  fault,  and  snuffling  for  the  breeze.  Now  he 
would  dart  in  this  direction,  now  in  that,  now 
north,  now  south,  now  eastv  then  west.  But  it 
was  just  then  a  complete  calm,  and  he -made  no 
headway. 

Of  course  we  took  advantage  of  his  motions  to 
ply  our  lances,  and  in  a  very  short  time  had  the 
satisfaction  to  see  him  spout  blood. 

Now  when  a  sperm  whale  spouts  blood,  it  "B 
an  evidence  that  death  is  at  his  door  But  we 
were  to  learn  that  day  that  a  humpback  does  not 


184  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

die  so  easily.  The  sea-breeze  set  in  just  as  the 
whale  began  spouting  what  we  thought  to  be 
thick  blood.  With  the  first  puff  of  wind  ha 
seemed  to  revive,  and  gathering  new  energy, 
darted  off  seaward,  at  the  rate  of  six  or  seven 
miles  per  hour,  dragging  with  him  of  course  our 
four  boats. 

We  now  experienced  another  peculiar  trick  of 
the  humpback.  A  sperm  whale  will  sometimes 
run  under  water,  but  has  at  any  rate  the  merit  of 
keeping  straight  on  his  course.  Our  prize,  as  he 
proved  after  a  long-continued  effort  at  escape, 
would  spout  once,  then  turn  flukes  and  run  along 
the  bottom,  till  it  became  necessary  again  to 
breathe.  Then  another  spout,  another  toss  of  his 
flukes  high  in  the  air,  as  though  the  water  had 
been  a  mile  deep  and  he  were  bound  to  touch  bot 
torn,  and  another  race  along  that  bottom. 

This  course  was  continued  till  repeated  lane- 
ings  and  great  loss  of  blood  had  exhausted  him. 
Of  course,  his  short  stay  at  the  surface  made  it 
extremely  difficult  to  lance  him  properly.  We 
were  compelled  to  haul  so  close  to  him  that  when 
he  turned  flukes,  the  broad  tail  often  grazed  the 
boat's  bows.  Had  -it  been  a  sperm  whale,  this 
would  have  been  exceedingly  dangerous  play,  but 
our  humpback  plainly  thought  of  nothing  but 
running.  For  an  hour  he  kept  up  his  first  speed. 
By  that  time,  however,  he  was  tiring,  and  his  pace 
moderated. 

Now  two  boats  would  work  upon  him  at  once, 


TOWING     A     WHALE.  185 

and  sometimes  the  officers  could  set  their  lances  into 
his  body.  Clotted  blood  and  pieces  of  liver  and 
lungs  were  now  spouted  up  continually,  yet  the 
obstinate  beast  retained  strength  to  drag  us 
through  the  water.  Four  hours,  from  ten  till 
two,  we  worked  upon  him,  and  when,  at  two 
o'clock,  he  finally  expired,  he  was  actually  un- 
der neadway.  We  were  lancing  him,  when  he 
gave  a  little  start  and  suddenly  turned  over, 
heaving  his  long  fin  out  of  water,  and  with  a 
slight  quiver  died.  By  this  time  we  were  nearly 
twenty  miles  from  the  anchorage,  and  had  now 
before  us  the  disagreeable  task  of  towing  our 
whale  to  the  vessel.  After  waiting  a  short  time, 
to  see  if  he  would  sink  (which  in  this  case  did 
not  happen) ,  lines  were  fastened  to  various  parts 
of  his  body,  and  we  began  towing  him  landward. 

"  Why  don't  you  tow  him  tail  first,"  I  asked  of 
one  of  the  boatsteerers,  "  that  seems  to  be  the 
smallest  end." 

"  That  plan  has  been  tried,  but  was  not  found 
to  answer  so  well.  He  seems  to  have  been  de- 
signed to  go  head  first,  and  that  is  the  easiest  way 
to  tow  him." 

We  were  shortly  joined  by  the  other  boats,  and 
were  then  able  to  make  headway  at  the  rate  of 
about  three  miles  per  hour,  with  th.e  aid  of  a  stiff 
gea-breeze.  Do  what  we  would,  howevei  ,  we  could 
not  keep  our  whale  heading  as  we  wished.  Hia 
body  seemed  to  fit  naturally  in  the  trough  of  the 
little  sea  that  was  on,  and  thus  he  lay,  spite  of 


186  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

our  most  strenuous  efforts.     Wo  were  obliged    to 
tow  him  sideways  for  nearly  the  entire  distance. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  tedious  and  straining 
undertakings  I  have  ever  assisted  at.  Hour  after 
hour  we  tugged  at  the  oars,  our  progress  so  slow 
that  we  scarce  seemed  to  gain  any.  My  heart 
gank  as  I  thought  that  every  whale  we  took  would 
have  to  be  brought  alongside  in  just  this  way. 

It  was  eleven  o'clock  that  night  ere  we  had  our 
whale  moored  alongside.  I  was  never  more  ex 
hausted  in  my  life.  Some  of  the  hands  were 
downright  sick.  The  following  day  six  boats' 
crews  remained  to  cut  in,  while  our  captain,  leav- 
ing the  fourth  mate  on  board,  went  down  in  com- 
pany with  the  captain  of  the  Jas.  Eogers,  to  try  his 
fortune.  They  returned  empty-handed,  just  in 
time  to  see  the  last  blanket -piece  going  into  our 
blubber  room. 

The  operations  of  cutting  in  and  trying  out  are 
of  course  much  better  and  easier  done  in  harbor 
than  at  sea.  All  the  labor  is  lightened  by  the 
steadiness  of  the  ship,  and  there  is  at  least  a  bare 
possibility  of  keeping  clean.  Two  boats'  crews 
were  left  on  board  the  following  day  to  try  out 
Ihe  rest  of  us  going  off  as  usual  at  five  o'clock,  in 
Ihe  rain. 

We,  of  the  mate's  boats'  crew,  were  quite  proud 
of  having  gotten  the  first  whale  in  the  bay,  and 
determined  to  distinguish  ourselves  again  if  pos« 
Bible.  But  on  that  day  the  fates  favored  the  sec- 
ond  mate  of  the  other  vessel.  Sailing  close  in  to 


A     COW     AND     CALF.  187 

shore  in  the  lower  part  of  the  bay,  he  saw  a  cow 
and  calf,  and  pursued  them.  The  cow  whale 
could  easily  have  gotten  away,  but  would  not 
leave  her  little  one.  She  tried  every  expedient  tc 
quicken  its  progress,  first  bearing  it  on  her  flukes, 
then  taking  the  little  thing  between  her  fin  and 
body,  and  when  she  found  this  useless,  placing  it 
before  her  to  push  it  along  with  her  nose. 

But  all  was  vain.  The  mate  pulled  up,  and  by 
way  of  making  sure  of  the  mother,  who  had  just 
gone  down,  put  an  iron  into  the  calf. 

Soon  as  the  mother  came  up,  she  was  fastened 
too,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  spouting  thick  blood. 
By  this  time  we  were  upon  the  spot,  ready  to  ren- 
der assistance. 

The  mother  whale  seemed  solicitous  only  about 
her  calf.  She  would  fondle  it  with  her  huge  snout, 
and  push  it  along  before  her.  She  would  get 
between  it  and  the  boats,  to  keep  it  out  of  harm's 
way.  She  would  take  it  down  with  her,  knowing 
that  on  the  bottom  was  the  safest  place.  But  here 
the  little  one  could  not  obey  her.  It  was  forced 
to  come  up  to  breathe  at  least  once  every  two 
minutes,  and  by  this  means,  even  had  we  not  been 
able  to  tell  by  the  strain  of  our  lines,  we  knew 
at  all  times  where  away  was  the  old  whale. 

Never  did  mother,  of  whatever  species,  display  a 
more  absorbing  affection  for  her  young  than  did 
this  whale,  and  there  was  scarcely  one  in  the  pur- 
suit, bat  felt  as  though  we  were  taking  a  dishonora 
ble  advantage  of  her. 


188  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  we  could  uige  the 
little  calf  in  any  direction,  by  gentle  touches  of 
the  lance,  and  accordingly  we  forced  it  and  its 
mother  with  it,  to  take  a  course  leading  toward 
the  ships.  For  two  hours  we  continued  lancing 
her,  and  as  she  spouted  blood  nearly  all  this  time, 
we  were  satisfied  she  must  soon  die. 

But  now — we  were  scarce  half  a  mile  from  ine 
vessels — the  sea-breeze  came  in,  and  as  she  felt  it, 
new  life  seemed  to  enter  the  whale.  She  again 
tried  to  push  her  young  one  ahead,  and  finding 
this  useless,  and  that  we  took  occasion  meantime 
to  ply  her  with  lances,  she  suddenly  turned  upon 
the  boats. 

Six  boats  were  now  gathered  about  her.  When 
a  boat  would  approach  her,  she  would  whirl 
round  and  dash  at  it  with  her  flukes.  With  her 
long  sword-like  fins  (a  sixty  barrel  humpback's 
fins  are  at  least  twenty-five  feet  long,  and  shaped 
like  a  broadsword),  she  kept  us  off  her  sides ;  and 
by  running  continually  around  in  a  small  circle, 
she  got  uur  various  lines  so  fouled  that  we  began 
to  fear  we  should  have  to  cut  from  her  and  fasten 
afresh . 

The  sea,  too,  was  getting  very  high,  and  it  wafl 
disagreeable  to  work  about  a  wkale.  At  this  time 
one  of  the  boats  pulled  up  to  try  a  lance.  It  was 
a  long  dart,  and  instead  of  striking  the  whale,  the 
lance  glided  into  the  little  calf,  which  was  lying 
snugly  along  her  side. 

With  a  weak  puff  the   calf  turned  over  ana 


KILLING     A     CALF.  18$ 

sank.  The  mother  seemed  to  know  in  a  moment 
what  had  happened.  She  followed  it  to  the  bot- 
tom. After  making  several  circuits  about  it,  as 
«re  guessed  by  the  motions  of  our  lines,  she  again 
rose  to  the  surface,  but  this  time  with  nose  pointed 
to  the  windward. 

"  Now  we'll  have  to  take  it,  Charley,"  said  the 
boatsteerer  to  me. 

And  sure  enough,  she  dragged  us  off  against 
the  wind,  and  through  a  most  uncomfortable  sea, 
at  the  rate  of  four  or  five  miles  per  hour. 

It  was  sunset  before  she  brought  to  again,  and 
then  we  were  eleven  or  twelve  miles  from  the 
ship.  The  wind  was  very  strong,  but  fortunately 
for  us,  she  had  dragged  us  under  the  lee  of  a  small 
headland,  and  the  sea  was  not  so  violent. 

Here  she  stood  at  bay.  But  there  were  so  many 
boats,  that  while  some  would  engage  her  attention 
and  her  flukes,  with  which  she  defended  herself, 
others  would  approach  from  ahead  and  lance  her. 
With  all  this,  however,  it  was  long  after  sunset 
before  she  finally  "  rolled  fin  out." 

We  could  not  of  course  tow  her  down  that 
night,  and  as  one  of  the  boats  had  a  small  kedge 
stowed  in  the  bows,  the  whale  was  brought  to 
anchor.  First  we  put  irons  into  various  parts  of 
her  body,  with  which  to  lift  her  in  case  she  sank. 
Next,  the  anchor  was  dropped,  and  a  small  cable 
made  fast  to  the  whale's  flukes,  and  finally,  anchor 
and  whale  were  buoyei  with  a  drug. 

It  was  ten  o'clock  ere  we  got  on  board  this  night* 


190  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

and  the  way  from  the  whale  to  the  ships  wag  very 
unpleasant,  the  night  being  as  dark  as  pitch,  and 
the  sea  very  high.  The  following  morning  all  the 
boats  were  mustered  together,  and  we  pulled  for 
our  whale.  Arrived  upon  the  spot,  which  we 
easily  recognized  by  the  bearings  of  the  land,  ^  o 
found  no  buoy.  The  whale  we  had  hardly 
expected  to  find — knowing  she  would  sink.  After 
a  search  of  an  hour,  we  found  our  drug,  and  taking 
from  it  the  lines,  disposed  ourselves  in  the  boats 
BO  as  to  weigh  the  whale. 

It  has  been  found  that  if,  where  a  whale  has 
sunk,  sufficient  force  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon 
him,  to  start  his  body  from  the  bottom,  it  will 
continue  to  ascend,  and  when  it  once  gains  the 
surface,  will  not  again  sink. 

"  If  we  don't  lift  our  whale,  the  ground  sharks 
will  eat  her,"  was  the  captain's  reason  for  haste. 

The  first  tug  we  gave  at  the  lines  brought  every 
iron  up  from  the  bottom.  Some  had  pieces  of  the 
entrails,  others  patches  of  the  blubber  adhering  to 
the  barbs,  and  it  became  at  once  evident  that  the 
sharks  had  been  beforehand  with  us,  and  had 
eaten  off  the  outside,  of  blubber,  before  we  arrived. 
With  many  a  muttered  curse,  "not  loud  but 
deep,"  we  gathered  up  our  lines,  anchor  and  drug, 
and  departed. 

During  the  week  following  this  loss,  we  captured 
two  whales,  both  cows  with  calves,  and  both  made 
prey  by  taking  advantage  of  their  strong  affections 
for  their  young.  Care  was  taken  after  this  how- 


A     STARVED     CALF.  191 

ever,  not  to  kill  the  young  calves,  ''as  it  was  a 
aseles  waste  of  life,"  so  said  the  mate  of  the 
Bodgers,  "and  besides  had  a  tendency  to  excite 
the  cow  whale." 

1  thought  it  would  have  been  the  part  of  mercy 
to  kill  the  calves  after  dispatching  the  mother, 
inasmuch  as  they  were  not  yet  old  enough  to  get 
their  own  living,  and  would  most  likely  starve  to 
death. 

As  we  were  pulling  about  in  the  lower  bay  one 
morning,  a  great  white -watering  attracted  our 
attention.  Some  suggested  that  two  whales  were 
fighting,  others  that  a  school  were  enjoying  them- 
selves. But  on  approaching  the  object  of  our  curi- 
osity we  found  it  to  be  a  little  bull  humpback,  one 
of  those  inveterate  runners  whom  we  scarce  ever 
cared  to  attack,  endeavoring  to  drive  off  one  of 
the  calves  whose  dam  we  had  killed  several  days 
before.  The  little  thing  had  become  half  starved, 
and  was  endeavoring  to  find  the  wherewithal  to 
satisfy  its  hunger.  As  it  approached  the  whale, 
he  would  wheel  round  and  strike  at  it  with  his 
flukes,  sometimes  hitting,  but  oftener  missing  it. 
His  short  loud  spouts  showed  clearly  that  he  was 
in  some  consternation,  and  did  not  quite  understand 
the  maneuvers  of  his  troubler. 

The  captain  of  the  James  Eodgers,  who  was 
an  old  hand  at  humpbacking,  had  informed  us 
that  when  chasing  a  bull  humpback,  if  we  could 
get  so  close  upon  him  as  that  he  could  not  turn 
flakes,  we  could  easily  get  fast,  as  then  he  would 


192  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

remain  at  the  surface;  and  further  that  at  such 
times  by  hallooing,  hooting,  beating  tin  pans  and 
blowing  fog-horns,  the  whale  wou.xl  become  so 
terrified  as  to  be  unable  to  move.  We  had  one 
opportunity  to  put  this  to  trial,  but  met  with  a 
species  of  success  which  discouraged  any  farther 
attempts  of  this  kind  upon  the  fish. 

We  had  started  two  whales  from  under  the 
land,  and  for  several  hours  were  pulling  after  them, 
with  some  hopes  of  catching  up  with  them,  as 
they  seemed  to  go  off  in  a  straight  line,  and  at  no 
greater  speed  than  we  could  ourselves  make  by 
strenuous  exertions.  We  were  alone,  our  partner 
boat  having  gone  off  in  chase  of  another  whale. 
The  whales  slacked  their  speed  a  little,  and 
encouraged  by  this,  we  rushed  the  boat  upon  them, 
shouting  and  hallooing  at  the  top  of  our  voices, 
the  mate  bringing  into  requisition  a  conch  shell 
of  formidable  dimensions,  from  which  he  blew  a 
most  ominous  toot-toot. 

One  whale  made  his  escape,  but  the  other 
became  in  a  manner  paralyzed  from  fright,  and  lay 
still  upon  the  water,  moving  his  great  flukes 
slowly  up  and  down,  but  making  no  headway. 

"  Stand  up,  you  sir,  and  don't  you  miss  that 
whale,''  shouted  by  the  mate  apprized  us  that  we 
were  upon  him. 

"Grhe  it  to  him!"  and  at  the  word  Barnard, 
who  to  use  the  mate's  language,  "would  have 
struck  the  whale  had  he  been  sure  he  would  have 
struck  him  back  the  next  minute,"  darted  his  iron, 


A    SCARED     WHALJS.  1 93 

&lnt>$»t  with  the  same  motion  leaped  over- 
board. 

If  the  whale  was  before  paralyzed  with  terror, 
the  fiist  touch  of  the  iron  gave  back  to  him  all  bis 
powers,  and  quick  as  a  flash  an  immense  pair  of 
flukes  carne  down  on  the  boat's  bow,  cutting  off 
about  three  feet  of  it  nearly  as  smoothly  as  though 
it  had  been  sawed  off. 

Had  the  boatsteerer  not  jumped  overboard,  he 
would  have  been  instantly  killed.  I,  who  sat 
next  him,  was  thrown  overboard  by  the  shock,  the 
boat  filled,  and  had  not  the  iron  fortunately  drawn, 
we  should  have  been  in  a  mess  of  trouble. 

As  it  was,  all  hands  quickly  got  into  the  stern, 
by  which  means  the  boat's  bow  was  raised  out  of 
the  water;  and  thus  we  were  able  to  paddle  stern- 
foremost  to  the  ship,  a  distance  of  over  two  miles. 

That  was  the  last  time  we  tried  the  plan  of 
scaring  a  humpback.  Had  there  been  time  for  the 
exercise  of  a  litte  prudence,  we  could  have  gone 
on  easily  without  being  stove.  But  our  boatheader 
•vas  an  excitable  man,  and  at  this  time  as  on  a 
f<  rmer  occasion,  lost  all  command  over  himself 
ind  rushed  the  b)at  to  certain  destruction. 


13 


194  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

ANTONGJL  BAY,  continued — Whaling  near  Desolation  Island- 
Teddy — A  Character — Sea-Lions — How  they  are  Captured— 
Tannanarivou— A  City  on  a  hill  top  —  The  Natives  —  The 
Scurvy — Burying  a  Mac — Nearly  a  Ghost  Story — The  Cook'i 
opinion  of  Ghosts  —  Attempts  at  explanation,  meet  with  no 
Favor — The  Result — Preparing  to  leave  the  Bay — Our  first 
and  only  Holiday  in  the  Bay — A  Tour  of  Exploration — Dis- 
turbing an  Ant's  nest — Flying  Foxes — We  proceed  to  Sea. 

To  relieve  the  monotony  of  our  rather  dreary 
life  in  the  bay,  we  frequently  visited  each  other's 
vessels,  /found  much  to  amuse  me  on  board  the 
James  Eodgers.  They  had  been  three  years  from 
home,  cruising  during  that  time  mainly  on  the 
coasts  of  Ceylon  and  New  Holland,  and  had  some 
singular  adventures  to  relate.  One  of  the  crew, 
moreover,  had  made  a  voyage  to  the  Isle  of  Des- 
olation, a  place  of  great  resort  for  sea-lions  and 
seals,  as  well  as  right  whales,  and  as  he  had  ? 
wonderful  facility  in  spinning  yarns,  and  was, 
wHhal,  obliging  enough  to  talk  for  us  by  the  hour, 
several  of  our  own  crew  spent  all  our -leisure  timt 
on  board  the  Eodgers. 

Teddy,  so  h<  was  called,  was  a  genuine  Yankee 
boy;  and  about  is  ugly  and  good  natured  a  speci- 


TEDDY.  195 

men  of  mortality  as  one  could  expect  to  meet  with 
in  so  out  of  the  way  a  place  as  a  whale  ship.  He 
was  the  self-constituted  hero  of  numberless  adven- 
tures, which  he  could  impart  in  a  manner  entirely 
his  own,  never  thinking  of  concealing  personal 
defects,  and  laughing  as  heartily  at  his  own  mis- 
haps as  those  of  any  one  else. 

Teddy  had  served  an  apprenticeship  to  whaling 
in  the  cold  regions  of  Desolation,  and  was  not, 
therefore,  remarkable  for  personal  cleanliness  or 
neatness.  He  gave  it  as  his  deliberate  opinion, 
that  too  much  washing  was  deleterious  to  the 
health,  besides  involving  an  unnecessary  waste 
of  time.  His  clothes,  which  were  patched  even 
beyond  the  mark  of  whalemen  in  general,  pre- 
sented a  variety  of  hues  which  reminded  one  of 
Joseph's  coat  of  many  colors  j  they  fitted  him  with 
a  studied  awkwardness  which  could  not  fail  to 
attract  attention  from  the  most  casual  observer, 
and  excited  in  me  most  unbounded  admiration. 

With  his  ill-fitting  and  well-patched  shirt,  his 
scraggy  head  of  fiery  red  hair  overhanging  his 
face,  and  thin  whiskers  of  the  same  color,  which 
he  was  used  to  say  required  a  drum  and  fife  to 
marshal  them  together,  Teddy  put  one  very  macb 
in  mind  of  the  little  rough-haired  Scotch  terrier*,, 
so  famous  as  ratters.  So  striking  was  this  resem  • 
Olance,  that  I  was  led  one  day  to  ask  him  if  he 
had  ever  followed  the  business  of  rat-catching. 
With  a  huge  grin,  such  as  only  Teddy  ccnld 


196  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

assume,  he  answered,  no ;  that  there  was  not 
enough  oil  to  be  gotten  out  of  a  rat  to  make  sacft 
a  business  pay. 

Desolation,  or  Kerguelen's  Land,  by  which  last 
name  it  is  most  generally  known,  is  an  island  in 
the  Indian  ocean,  in  about  latitude  49°  30'  south, 
and  longitude  70°  10X  east.  It  is  a  sterile,  dreary 
spot,  uninhabited,  save  by  seals,  sea-lions,  and 
penguins.  It  lies  entirely  out  of  the  track  of 
merchant  vessels,  and  is  little  visited  even  by 
whaleships,  the  ship  in  which  Teddy  had  made  a 
voyage  thither  being  one  of  but  two  or  three  that 
had  at  that  time  made  it  their  exclusive  headquar- 
ters for  a  year  or  two  at  a  time. 

From  Teddy's  yarns,  I  gathered  that  all  the 
various  species  of  seals  abound  there  at  certain 
seasons  of  the  year,  and  that  right  whales  had 
found  here  likewise  a  retreat  in  which  they  were 
comparatively  little  disturbed. 

It  appears  that  on  her  arrival  at  the  island,  the 
vessel  was  securely  anchored  in  a  snug  harbor  on  its 
leeward  side.  All  the  empty  casks,  and  a  great 
proportion  of  the  stores,  were  now  landed,  and 
placed  in  huts  constructed  for  the  purpose.  Try  • 
works  were  also  set  up  011  shore,  and  all  the  ope- 
rations of  killing,  skinning  and  trying-out  were 
rendered  thus  as  little  laborious  as  possible.  The 
sea  -lions  at  regular  intervals  during  the  day 
ascended  the  crags  and  steeps  with  which  the 
•bore  was  lined  for  miles  around,  and  were  on 


HUNTING     SEA-LIONS.  197 

these  occasions  attacked  and  slain  in  great  num- 
bers. The  weapon  of  attack  was  a  stout  lance 
fixed  to  a  short  hickory  pole. 

At  early  daylight,  said  Teddy,  the  labor  of 
lilling  cask?  and  cleaning  fur-seal  skins  begar.. 
About  nine  o'clock  the  boating  parties  were  started 
off  for  the  appointed  scene  of  labor.  They  pulled 
or  sailed  along  shore  until  they  discovered  the 
weals,  then  moored  their  boats,  and  dividing  them- 
selves in  parties  of  two,  proceeded  to  the  slaughter, 
which  it  was  necessary  to  accomplish  as  silently 
as  possible. 

Teddy  confessed  that  the  first  time  he  ap- 
proached an  old  lion,  for  the  purpose  of  lancing 
him,  he  was  in  great  bodily  fear. 

"  As  I  approached,"  said  he,  "  the  beast  gave 
an  awful  roar,  and  lifting  up  its  ugly  head,  snap- 
ped viciously  with  its  jaws,  plainly  showing  me 
that  if  I  got  into  its  clutches  once,  it  would  go 
hard  with  me.  I  had  received  due  caution  against 
approaching  it  from  beneath,  as  in  such  cases  the 
animals  are  wise  enough  to  roll  over  on  their  at- 
tacker, and  thus  overcome  him. 

"  There  was,  however,  no  time  for  considera- 
tion. My  lion  was  before  me,  and  the  mate  wa% 
watching  me  from  a  distance,  to  see  that  I  suf- 
fered no  damage.  So  I  ran  up,  man  fashion,  and 
plunged  my  lance  into  his  breast,  just  as  he  was 
preparing  to  roll  over  the  rocks  into  the  sea. 
Luckily,  the  first  stab  settled  him,  and  with  a 


198  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

loud  hurrah  of  suddenly  gained  confidence  in  my 
Dwn  abilities,  I  jumped  on  to  attack  another." 

After  killing  as  many  as  they  could  carry  oil 
"hat  day  the  work  of  skinning  and  lugging  the 
blubber  'ined  hide  to  the  boats  began.  Here  two 
worked  together.  As  the  beasts  were  duly  di- 
vested of  their  hides,  a  hole  was  cut  in  the  center 
of  each.  A  hide  being  now  lifted  up,  one's  head 
was  inserted  through  the  opening,  the  mass  of. 
blubber  hanging  about  him  something  after  the 
fashion  of  a  Spaniard's  poncho.  In  this  guise, 
with  the  filthy  oil  dripping  from  every  pore,  he 
now  scrambled  over  rocks  and  declivities,  down 
to  the  boat,  in  which  the  load  was  deposited, 
while  the  bearer  returned  to  repeat  the  operation. 
It  was  in  this  business  that  Teddy  had  contracted 
his  aversion  to  water,  taken  externally,  as  a 
purifier. 

"  As  an  internal  remedy,"  said  he,  one  day,  in 
discussing  its  merits,  "  a  very  little  water,  mixed 
with  good  whisky,  is  not  at  all  objectionable." 

Of  relating  his  mishaps  with  sea-lions,  Teddy 
never  tired,  and,  to  own  the  truth,  neither  did  his 
auditory  ever  tire  of  him  There  might  have  been 
more  intellectual  amusement,  but  under  the  cir 
cumstances,  there  could  have  been  none  provided 
of  a  more  enlivening  nature. 

"When  we  first  entered  Antongil  Bay,  all  hands 
congratulated  themselves  in  advance  upon  the 
pleasure  of  ar  occasional  ramble  ashore,  neve* 


HOSTILITY   OF   THE   MADAGASSY.         199 

imagining  that  there  could  be  such  a  totally  inac- 
cessible place  as  proved  the  island  under  lee  of 
which  we  were  moored.  When  a  ramble  through 
the  thick  jung.e  of  the  island  was  found -imprac- 
ticable from  the  impenetrability  of  the  woods,  as 
well  as  dangerous  from  the  exceeding  abundance 
of  serpents,  of  which  we  killed  some  every  day, 
although  never  advancing  inland  beyond  the  im- 
mediate beach,  we  began  to  cast  longing  eyes  upon 
the  shores  which  we  every  morning  approached 
in  pursuit  of  whales. 

In  the  far  distance,  at  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  we 
could  discern  a  city,  seemingly,  of  considerable 
dimensions,  while  in  the  vicinity  of  the  beach  at 
various  points,  herds  of  the  large  hump-cattle  of 
Madagascar  grazed.  Here,  thought  we,  must  cer- 
tainly be  a  fine  country ;  and  I  know  not  what 
wild  plans  flitted  through  my  brain,  of  clandes- 
tinely leaving  the  vessel,  and  taking  up  my  abode. 
\v  ith  the  natives  for  a  time. 

All  these  ideas  were,  however,  scattered  to  the 
winds  by  the  unmistakeable  enmity  exhibited 
toward  us  by  the  natives,  upon  an  attempt  on  our 
part  to  effect  a  landing  upon  the  mainland.  It 
was  from  the  first  apparent  that  we  were  watched 
right  jealously,  parties  of  the  natives,  spear  in 
hand,  often  following  for  h<rirs  any  of  the  boats 
that  chanced  to  be  cruising  near  the  land.  We 
had  not  tasted  fresh  beef  since  leaving  home,  and 
although  warned  by  the  officers  of  our  partner 
ship  that  we  would  be  unsuccessful  in  any  attempt 


£00  V  HALING    AND    PISHING. 

to  purchase  some,  our  captain  and  mate  one  da$ 
boldly  steered  for  the  shore,  at  a  point  which 
seemed  like  a  good  landing,  determined  to  hold 
Borne  kind  of  parley  with  the  natives.  Quite  a 
number  of  these  were  gathered  together,  awaitir  g 
mr  approach. 

As  we  got  within  hailing  distance,  one,  evi- 
dently an  officer,  for  he  had  on  the  tattered  re- 
mains of  an  officer's  dress  coat,  the  epaulettes 
being  the  most  conspicuous  object  about  him, 
asked  in  broken  French  what  we  desired. 

The  mate,  who  spoke  French,  answered  in  that 
language,  stating  that  we  desired  to  obtain  a  bul- 
lock, that  we  had  some  articles  of  trade  in  the 
boat,  and  that  our  captain  would  be  pleased  to 
open  regular  communications  with  the  natives, 
and  purchase  of  them  such  articles  of  food  as  they 
chose  to  sell. 

He  was  answered  by  a  warning  that  if  ever  we 
touched  the  shore,  we  would  be  massacred ;  and 
that  the  Queen  of  the  island  had  sent  strict  orders 
to  the  coast,  that  no  communication  whatever 
should  be  held  with  strangers.  No  trade  could 
therefore  be  permitted,  and  he  advised  us  to  be 
careful  how  we  approached  the  shore,  as  the  Mad- 
agassy  were  bent  upon  showing  no  mercy  to  such 
unfortunates  as  fell  into  their  hands. 

Thus  were  all  our  hopes  of  fresh  beef  and  a  rnr> 
ashore  at  once  disappointed. 

As  yet  there  were  not  among  our  crew  any 
§igns  of  scurvy.  In  fact,  we  had  been  but  a  shorl 


BURYING     A     SCURVY     PATIENT.         201 

without  potatoes,  the  greatest  anti  scoi  butic, 
the  supply  we  obtained  at  Tristan  de  Acunha, 
having  with  proper  management  lasted  us  till  we 
cr.tered  Antongil  Bay.  But  of  the  crew  of  the 
Jas.  Rodgers,  several  were  beginning  to  exhibit 
evidences  of  the  disease,  in  their  swollen  limbs  and 
dilatoiy  movements,  and  one  poor  fellow  was 
already  confined  to  his  berth. 

When  it  was  found  that  there  was  no  hope  ot 
obtaining  fresh  provisions  from  the  shore,  it  was 
determined  to  bury  this  man,  a  mode  of  cure  which 
is  practiced  only  in  extreme  cases,  but  which  gen 
orally  proves  successful  —  having  this  disadvan- 
tage, however,  that  where  it  does  not  cure,  it  kills. 

A  little  shed  was  built  on  shore,  beneath  which 
a  hole  was  dug  in  the  ground  sufficiently  large  to 
contain  the  sick  man  in  a  sitting  posture.  In  this 
he  was  placed  about  ten  o'clock  one  morning, 
when  the  rains  had  ceased  unusually  early.  The 
ground  was  then  loosely  thrown  about  him,  until 
he  was  covered  up,  leaving  nothing  but  the  head 
exposed.  He  remained  here  until  sunset,  when 
he  was  taken  out  and  conveyed  to  his  berth  on 
board,  in  a  state  of  great  exhaustion.  In  a  few 
days  ho  regained  strength  sufficient  to  walk  about 
decks,  a  *d  by  dint  of  care  in  matters  of  diet,  he 
TV  as  in  a  few  weeks  able  to  return  to  his  duty. 
Not  however,  without  bearing  about  him  the 
marks  of  the  disease,  in  several  bunch-like  gath- 
erings of  the  muscles  on  his  legs  and  thighs,  known 
among  soamen  as  scurvy- marks. 


202  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

It  was  but  a  few  days  before  we  left  the 
that  a  singular  incident  occurred,  which,  had  the 
succeeding  circumstances  been  only  more  favora- 
ble, would  have  given  rise  to  a  veritable  and  most 
andeniable  ghost-story.  Many  such,  I  dare  say, 
rest  on  a  less  plausible  foundation. 

The  humpback  is  in  many  regards  a  fish  of  very 
singular  habits,  differing  in  great  measure  from 
those  of  any  other  species  of  the  whale.  Among 
his  oddities  is  one  which  those  of  us  who  daily 
labored  in  the  boats  had  soon  gotten  used  to,  but 
of  which  the  ship-keepers  knew  nothing.  A 
whale  would  sometimes  get  under  the  boat,  at 
such  a  depth  below  the  surface  that  the  crew  were 
entirely  unaware  of  his  presence,  and  there  utter 
the  most  doleful  groans,  interspersed  with  a  gurg- 
ling sound  such  as  a  drowning  man  may  be  sup- 
posed to  make.  The  first  time  I  heard  these 
sounds  it  was  almost  incomprehensible  to  me  that 
they  could  proceed  from  a  whale.  But  close 
watching  of  their  motions  convinced  us  all  that 
they  were  the  true  authors. 

So  little  noteworthy  had  the  matter  been  thought 
after  its  cause  was  explained,  that  it  was  not  a 
topic  of  conversation  on  board,  and  so  it  came 
about  that  our  ship-keepers  were  left  in  entire 
ignorance  of  the  imitative  powers  of  the  hump 
back. 

One  morning  about  eleven  o'clock,  when  the 
buats  were  all  on  the  daily  cruise,  and  but  half 
R  dozen  men  on  board  each  ship,  onr  steward 


A     GHOST     STORY.  203 

happened  into  the  forecastle,  and  was  there  star- 
tled by  a  most  unearthly  groan.  Thinking  that 
his  ears  were  deceived,  he  listened  intently  for  its 
repetition,  and  was  soon  gratified.  A  moan  as  of 
one  in  terrible  agony,  he  said,  issued  from  the 
berth  of  the  present  writer.  Two  jumps  carried 
him  safely  to  the  deck,  where  he  at  once  informed 
the  cook  of  what  he  had  heard,  declaring  hia  firm 
belief  that  the  ship  was  haunted. 

The  cook  laughed  at  the  to  him  funny  idea,  and 
thought  a  ghost  must  have  but  poor  taste,  to  come 
into  this  outlandish  part  of  the  world.  The  stew- 
ard, however,  related  his  story  to  the  ship-keepers, 
and  asked  them,  to  make  assurance  doubly  sure, 
to  step  into  the  forecastle  in  person,  and  regale 
their  ears  with  the  mysterious  noise.  Accord- 
ingly, all  hands  (only  three,  the  other  three  being 
at  work  ashore),  descended  to  the  haunted  region. 

They  had  scarcely  entered,  when  the  groans 
were  repeated  with  even  more  horrible  emphasis 
than  before.  With  hair  erect,  and  elongated  faces, 
they  listened  sufficiently  long  to  vouch  that  the 
dread  sounds  proceeded  from  no  where  else  but 
n}  berth;  and  then,  overcome  with  terror,  rushed 
to  Jie  deck,  seized  the  jolly  boat,  and  took  refuge 
on  board  our  partner  ship. 

The  black  cook  alone  remained  on  board.  He 
Bcorned  to  run  from  anything  that  could  only 
groan,  and  having  satisfied  himself  that  there  was 
no  tangible  cause  for  the  noises,  in  or  about  my 
berth,  qiretly  busied  himself  about  his  galley 


204  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

thinking,  as  he  remarked  to  me  afterward,  that  "  if 
it  was  really  a  ghost,  and  it  did  the  poor  thing  any 
good  to  groan,  he  had  not  the  slightest  objection/' 

In  a  short  time  the  sounds  could  be  heard  upon 
deck,  and  then  they  gradually  died  away,  until 
presently  quiet  was  restored,  and  the  affrighted 
fugitives  returned  to  the  vessel. 

"  It  is  a  ghost  or  spirit,  that's  certain,"  assevera- 
ted the  steward,  who  had  told  the  captain  of  it, 
already  before  the  latter  got  out  of  his  boat. 

"  If  you  talk  to  me  of  ghosts  again,  stupid,  I'll 
put  your  head  in  a  bucket  of  water,"  was  the 
reply. 

This  threat  put  an  effectual  stop  to  the  dissent  - 
nation  of  spiritualism  in  the  after  part  of  the  ship ; 
but  meantime,  our  ship-keepers  had  laid  their 
experience  before  the  forecastle,  the  story  of  course 
gaining  fresh  horrors  with  every  recital.  The 
case  was  so  plain — even  the  cook,  who  laughed  at 
the  whole  matter,  having  to  own  that  he  heard 
the  sounds,  and  that  they  were  marvelously  like 
human  groans — that  most  of  our  greenhorns  soon 
became  devout  believers  in  the  immediate  pres- 
ence of  a  spirit  in  our  midst,  and  the  poor  Portu 
guese,  whose  nature  it  was  to  be  superstitious, 
turned  a  sickly  yellow,  and  began  to  shake  in  their 
boots. 

Having  heard  the  matter  duly  discussed,  I  ven- 
tured to  suggest  that  it  was  clearly  a  humpback 
that  made  the  mysterious  noise.  This  was  treated, 
however,  with  that  degree  of  scorn  which  is 


A     VERITABLE     uHOST.  205 

usually  bestowed  upon  any  reasonable  explanatioD 
of  a  ghost  story.  My  scornful  laugh  was  severely- 
frowned  down,  and  I  was  informed  by  one  of  the 
wiseacres  that  the  groans  having  evidently  come 
from  my  berth,  and  no  where  else,  portended  some 
an  heard  of  accident  to  myself.  So  eagerly  does 
ignorant  humanity  swallow  the  most  egregious 
humbug,  if  there  is  only  something  supernatural 
about  it,  that  of  the  sixteen  men  who  had  proba- 
bly heard  the  same  groans  dozens  of  times  in  the 
boat,  not  one  could  now  be  convinced,  by  reason 
or  ridicule,  that  those  in  question  owed  their  ex- 
istence to  a  natural  cause. 

I  found  myself  regarded  as  a  doomed  man  ;  and 
certain  of  the  more  friendly  disposed  privately 
advised  me  to  prepare  my  mind  for  the  approach- 
ing calamity,  and  even  offered  to  share  their  berths 
with  me,  not  considering  it  prudent  that  I  should 
sleep  in  the  haunted  bed.  If  my  excellent  ship- 
mates before  cordially  hated  me  for  my  unsocia- 
ble spirit,  they  were  now  doubly  bitter  against 
me  on  account  of  my  present  doubts;  and  one 
poor  fellow  went  so  far  as  to  impugn  my  faith  in 
the  existence  of  a  Deity,  on  the  ground  of  my 
scepticism  on  the  subject  of  ghosts. 

1  joined  with  the  cook  in  laughing  at  their  fool- 
ish fears,  (which,  by  the  way,  procured  me  the 
present  of  a  huge  piece  of  pie  from  that  worthy, 
prho  declared  me  to  be  a  "good  fellow"),  and 
slept  scundly  as  ever  before  in  my  haunted  bed« 
place. 


206  WHALING    AND    FI6HINO. 

The  ghost  was  the  staple  of  conversation  .ext 
morning  at  breakfast,  and  prophesies  were  ft  eely 
made  that  before  sundown  that  day,  our  boat 
would  be  stove,  and  I  would  be  severely  injured, 
if  not  killed.  Fortunately  for  my  credit,  not  an 
accident  occurred  during  the  remainder  of  our 
stay  in  the  bay.  Had  I  been  in  the  slightest 
degree  injured,  or  even  had  our  boat  been  stove, 
as  was  prophesied,  this  would  have  formed  a 
well  authenticated  ghost  story,  and  I  should  no 
doubt  have  been  held  up  to  future  generations  of 
whalemen  as  a  melancholy  example  of  stubborn 
unbelief. 

Having  now  captured  six  whales,  and  the  sea- 
son not  having  proved  nearly  so  propitious  as  had 
been  hoped,  there  being  comparatively  few  cows 
and  calves  in  the  bay,  it  was  determined  that  we 
should  divide  the  oil  and  proceed  on  our  cruise. 
Our  share  of  the  proceeds  amounted  to  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  barrels.  We  finished 
stowing  down  and  clearing  up  on  a  Saturday 
night,  and  as  we  had  kept  no  Sunday  for  the  past 
six  weeks,  the  two  captains  determined  that  the 
following  day  should  be  a  holiday. 

And  never  was  one  more  needed.  Day  aftej 
day  we  had  toiled  at  the  oars,  amid  rain  and  wind 
and  cold,  until  we  were  completely  exhausted  m 
body  and  spirit.  It  was  given  out  on  Saturday 
night  that  there  would  be  no  cail  of  "  all  hands  " 
on  the  following  morning.  Accordingly,  I  arose 
*t  nine  o'clock,  a  much  more  comfortable  houi 


A     SABBATH      IN     MADAGASCAR.          207 

than  half  past  four,  and  after  eating  breakfast, 
began  the  day  by  a  thorough  wash  and  a  shave,  the 
latter  more  as  a  means  of  cultivating  my  dilatory 
and  impatiently  longed-for  beard,  than  from  any 
real  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the  operation,  in 
appearance  or  feelings. 

Having  donned  a  clean  suit,  a  real  luxury,  ai^d 
Bet  fire  to  a  cigar  which  I  found  in  a  corner  of  my" 
chest,  I  set  out  for  the  shore,  in  company  with 
two  Portuguese,  determined  on  a  tour  of  explo- 
ration. We  had  armed  ourselves  with  boat-hooks 
and  clubs,  to  kill  the  serpents  which  we  should 
doubtless  meet  on  the  way,  and  now  set  out  in 
high  spirits.  Unluckily,  I  was  unable  to  wear 
boots,  on  account  of  sore  feet,  obtained  by  constant 
immersion  in  water,  in  the  boats.  So  after  pene- 
trating a  few  rods  into  the  jungle,  I  was  compelled 
rather  unwillingly  to  return  to  the  beach. 

My  companions,  who  proceeded,  did  not  fall  in 
with  anything  during  half  a  day's  ramble,  but 
half  a  dozen  serpents,  and  a  lemon  tree.  They 
brought  down  their  hats  full  of  cooling,  delicious 
lemons,  which  were  soon  turned  into  lemonade. 

Meanwhile,  the  time  hanging  rather  heavily 
upon  my  hands,  I  was  tempted  to  a  closer  ex- 
amination of  a  large  ant's  nest,  which  was  pen- 
dant from  the  bough  of  a  tiee  near  the  waterside, 
Climbing  up  this  tree,  I  was  shortly  within  reach 
of  the  nest,  but  had  no  sooner  laid  hands  on  it, 
with  the  design  of  plucking  it  off,  (it  was  a  mass 
a*  large  as  half  a  barrel),  than  its  irrascible  tenants 


208  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

issued  out  against  me  in  innumerable  swarms,  and 
beforo  I  could  drop  myself  down  from  my  eleva- 
tion, I  was  completely  covered  with  the  vicious 
creatures,  all  in  a  fever  of  rage,  and  stinging  me 
to  the  best  of  their  abilities. 

To  pull  off  my  loose  shirt  was  the  work  of  a 
moment.  In  the  next  I  was  in  the  water,  and  my 
assailants  were  swimming  helplessly  about  me. 
This  adventure,  which  procured  me  a  few  harm- 
less stings,  satisfied  any  lingering  desire  I  might 
have  entertained,  to  examine  the  interior  economy 
of  an  ant's  nest.  After  walking  about  the  beach, 
killing  a  water  snake,  picking  up  a  few  harp 
shells,  and  basking  for  a  while  in  the  genial  sun, 
I  returned  on  board,  utterly  disgusted  with  Mad- 
agascar. With  the  exception  of  the  lemons  found 
by  the  Portuguese,  we  saw  nothing  eatable  on  the 
smaller  island.  None  of  the  fruit  trees  generally 
so  plentiful  in  the  tropics,  wore  here  to  bo  seen, 
and  I  doubt  if  a  day's  journey  through  the  dense 
jungle  would  have  produced  aught  but  snakes,  of 
which  there  seemed  a  sufficiency  to  colonize  all 
Ireland. 

A  little  party  was  made  up,  while  I  was  engaged 
with  the  ants,  to  explore  a  huge,  nearly  barren 
rock,  lying  at  a  distance  of  about  five  inilos  from 
onr  mooring  place,  and  between  ourselves  and  the 
month  of  the  bay.  This  in  our  daily  whaling 
excursions  we  had  noted  to  be  the  resort  of  innu- 
merable fly'ng  foxes.  I  came  back  too  late  to  join 
the  expedition,  bit  learned  from  them  that  they 


FLYING     FOXES.  201) 

found  the  birds  (?)  flown.  They  saw  nothing 
therefore,  but  traces,  in  broken  branches  of  trees, 
etc.,  of  their  nightly  resort  thither.  The  captain, 
however,  shot  one  of  the  foxes  before  the  day 
was  over.  It  was  a  black  animal,  with  a  head 
more  like  a  bat  than  a  fox,  very  sharp  teeth,  and 
long  claws,  and  of  about  the  size  of  a  small  fox. 
At  a  regular  hour  each  day,  between  ten  o'clock 
and  twelve,  the  whole  flock  which  frequented  the 
rock,  took  a  flight  over  to  the  mainland,  a  distance 
of  perhaps  eight  miles.  They  moved  in  a  solid 
mass,  like  a  flock  of  birds,  and  at  a  distance  would 
certainly  have  been  taken  for  birds. 

The  following  day,  (Monday),  to  the  joy  of 
every  one,  we  got  under  weigh  and  stood  out  of 
the  bay,  bidding  it  adieu  with  a  hearty  determin- 
ation never  to  return. 

14 


210  WHAI   ING    AND     FISHING 


CHAPTER   XII, 

ftr.  MARY,  Madagascar— Applying  for  Liberty — It  is  granted— 
Sickness  Ashore — The  Town  and  Fort — Two  Men  remain  ovei 
night — They  are  taken  sick  and  die — An  Auction — Eeflec- 
tions — The  Seychelles — Plans  for  leaving  the  Vessel— We  raise 
a  School  of  Whales — How  a  dead  Whale  makes  headway 
against  the  Wind — Striking  a  Finback — "There  blows" — 
The  excitement  of  "  going  on  to  "  a  Whale — Fast  and  Loose — A 
Whale's  Revenge— The  Boat  Stove. 

ON  getting  clear  of  the  land  once  more,  the  ship 
was  headed  to  the  southward,  and  the  ruinor  soon 
got  afloat  that  the  captain  intended  running  into 
St.  Mary's,  a  French  colony  on  the  eastern  coast 
•>f  Madagascar,  about  two  days  sail  from  the  mouth 
of  Antongil  Bay.  The  third  day  thereafter,  hav- 
ing in  the  meantime  seen  no  whales,  both  ships 
entered  the  harbor  of  St.  Mary's.  The  town,  or 
settlement,  and  fort  lie  upon  an  island  separated 
by  a  narrow  strait  from  the  main  island. 

This  is  known  among  whalemen  as  the  most  fatal 
place  upon  the  entire  coast,  for  whites  ;  but  it  is 
the  only  place  on  this  part  of  the  ..coast  whore 
fruits  and  vegetables  are  obtainable,  and  is,  there- 
fore, frequently  resorted  to  by  whaleships. 

On  coining  to  an  chor,  all  hands  proceeded  afV 


LIBERTY.  211 

to  ask  the  captain  for  a  run  ashore  during  our 
Btay.  Hereupon  he  made  us  a  ]  ittle  address,  stating 
that  he  was  quite  willing  to  grant  the  required 
liberty,  but  telling  us  at  the  same  time  that  while 
those  who  returned  on  board  before  sunset  would 
run  no  risk  of  catching  the  fever,  so  surely  would 
those  die  who  remained  on  shore  over  night,  that 
he  should  refuse  to  receive  them  on  board  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  considering  them  as  certainly 
dead. 

This  sounded  like  humbug  to  some  of  the  crew. 
But  I  had  been  warned  against  going  ashore  in 
this  place,  by  the  carpenter  of  the  Betsy  Ann, 
which  vessel  had  lost  here  three  of  her  men  at  one 
visit.  I  detailed  the  information  I  had  received, 
to  the  rest,  after  we  had  retired  to  the  forecastle, 
and  convinced  them,  as  I  thought,  that  the  cap- 
tain's words  were  at  least  founded  on  fact. 

I  could  hardly  blame  the  disbelief  of  some,  for 
the  shores  past  which  we  had  been  sailing  during 
the  day,  were  so  beautiful,  and  everything  ap- 
peared to  our  rain -accustomed  eyes  so  resplendent 
in  the  genial  sunlight,  whose  like  we  had  not  felt 
for  two  months,  that  it  was  hard  to  believe  grim 
death  to  lurk  in  every  glade  and  hummock  of  the 
shore.  Yet  so  it  is.  St.  Mary's  is  unhealthy  even 
to  the  natives,  and  I  was  informed  that  the  Euro- 
pean portion  of  the  garrison,  notwithstanding  th« 
greatest  precaution  and  skill,  is  annually  decimated 
by  the  deadly  coast  fever. 

To  seamen,  used  to  take  but  iittle  care,  and 


212  \VHALING    AND     FISHING. 

scorning,  in  thur  robust  health,  all  precautionary 
measures,  one  night's  stay  ashore  is  in  nearly 
every  case  fatal,  as  was  sadly  proved  by  two  of 
our  crew,  who  were  so  fool-hardy  as  to  overstay 
their  time. 

Taking  all  things  into  consideration,  although 
I  very  strongly  desired  to  leave  the  vessel,  I  con- 
cluded not  to  expose  my  life  here.  Life,  thought 
I,  is  about  all  I  have  at  this  time  to  lose,  and  this 
I  had  rather  part  with  to  better  advantage  and  on 
a  more  inviting  occasion. 

As  our  stay  was  to  be  short,  we  had  but  half  a 
day's  run  ashore,  one  watch  taking  the  forenoon, 
the  other  the  afternoon.  This  gave  us  time  only 
for  an  inspection  of  the  barracks,  a  short  ramble 
along  the  shell-strown  beach,  and  a  bargain  with 
the  natives  for  a  quantity  of  cocoanuts  and 
bananas. 

The  privates  of  the  garrison  are  all  natives, 
sepoys,  while  the  officers  and  musicians  are 
Europeans.  The  town  is  separated  from  the  gar 
rison  by  a  little  arm  of  the  sea;  and  at  the  water- 
side here,  on  the  garrison  side,  are  some  huge 
storehouses,  containing  naval  stores  for  the  French 
squadron  stationed  in  those  waters.  St.  Mary's  is 
risited  by  but  few  vessels.  It  was  formerly  a 
place  of  call  for  French  Indiamenx  but  we  were 
told  that  it  was  no  longer  so.  A  few  whalemen, 
and  an  occasional  French  or  English  cruiser,  with 
hall  a  dozen  bullock  droghers,  are  the  only 
sels  that  enliven  its  harbors, 


if  AL  ARIA  2liJ 

The  French  have  made  more  persistent  efforts 
than  any  other  nation  for  the  colonization  and 
conquest  of  Madagascar,  but  their  success  has 
been  marvelously  inproportionate  to  their  efforts. 
And  their  failure  is  not  owing  to  the  resistance  of 
the  inhabitants,  although  these  have  always  hated 
and  harrassed  the  foreigner;  but  almost  entirely 
to  the  prevalence  all  along  the  seacoast  of  the 
island,  of  a  deadly  malaria,  to  which  nearly  every 
European  resident  sooner  or  later  falls  a  prey. 
Grim  death  himself  keeps  guard  at  the  portals  of 
this  fertile  island. 

Those  who  had  "  liberty "  in  the  forenoon, 
returned  on  board  in  due  time,  laden  with  shells 
and  fruit.  Directly  after  dinner  we  of  the  lar- 
board watch  were  set  ashore,  where  we  amused 
ourselves  in  various  ways  till  half  an  hour  before 
sunset,  when  all  but  two  of  our  number  rendered 
themselves  on  board.  These  two  had  determined 
to  spend  the  night  ashore,  all  our  remonstrances  to 
the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

The  following  morning,  as  we  were  getting 
under  way,  they  came  alongside  in  a  shore  boat. 
As  they  approached  the  vessel,  the  captain  hailed 
them,  asking  what  they  wanted.  They  were  now 
ready  to  come  on  board,  said  they. 

"  I  have  marked  '  deceased  ! '  opposite  yom 
names  on  the  muster  roll.  I  consider  you  dead 
men.  I  can  not  refuse  to  let  you  come  cr  board 
but  would  rather  you  would  stay  ashore." 

They  protested   that  they   were   in   excellent 


214  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

health,  aud  felt  not  the  slightest  ill  effects  from 
their  night's  exposure. 

"  I  will  give  you  your  clothing  if  you  will  sbay 
DE  shore." 

But  they  had  no  desire  to  be  left  behind,  hav 
ing  learned  how  little  chance  there  was  to  get 
away  from  the  place,  ancl  harboring  no  wish  to 
starve  on  shore.  So  they  were  permitted  to  come 
aboard,  and  turned  to  their  work  as  though 
nothing  had  happened. 

"  They'll  die  before  three  days  are  over,"  saia 
the  captain  to  me,  who  had  just  then  taken  charge 
of  the  helm,  the  ship  being  now  under  weigh. 

They  were  living  and  in  apparently  good  health 
all  day.  But  in  the  course  of  the  following  night 
both  were  taken  sick,  their  first  symptoms  being 
a  violent  diarrhea,  with  cold  sweats ;  and  before 
forty-eight  hours  both  were  dead.  Two  others 
were  meantime  laid  low  with  the  same  disease, 
and  only  recovered  by  the  most  faithful  attend- 
ance, and  the  strictest  care  as  to  diet.  This  was 
our  first  burying  of  the  dead,  and  as  may  be  sup- 
posed from  the  suddenness  of  the  affliction,  it  was 
a  solemn  occasion. 

A  few  days  after  the  burial,  in  accordance  with 
universal  custom  on  ship  board,  the  effects  of  the 
deceased  were  disposed  of  at  auction.  In  the 
merchant  service,  where  the  proceeds  of  such  a 
gale  go  with  the  wages  of  the  deceased  to  his 
heirs,  perhaps  a  widow  and  family  of  children,  an 
auction  is  often  made  the  occasion  of  a  display  of 


AN    AUCTION.  215 

generosity  on  the  part  of  the  surviving  shipmates, 
who  bid  in  the  various  articles  at  much  more  than 
their  real  value,  and  thus  contribute  '.heir  mite  to 
the  support  of  the  bereaved  family. 

Thu  men  found  in  the  forecastle  of  a  whaleship 
are,  however,  generally  castaways  in  the  world- 
young  fellows  who  have  run  away  from  the  pater- 
nal home,  and  have  no  one  depending  upon  them 
for  support.  The  proceeds,  if  the  deceased  is  out  of 
debt  at  the  time  of  his  death,  are  of  course  reserved 
for  the  relatives;  but  these  do  not  often  know 
of  the  circumstances,  and  it  is  only  by  accident  in 
many  cases  that  they  ever  learn  of  the  decease  of 
the  wanderer. 

Of  the  death  of  these  men,  I  speak  reluctantly, 
and  with  pain.  Both  were  delirious  during  the 
greater  part  of  their  short  illness,  and  senseless 
for  some  time  before  death,  so  that  the  grim 
monster  did  not  come  with  many  terrors.  But 
^o  those  who  looked  on,  vainly  wishing  for  powei 
to  help,  the  spectacle  was  distressing.  The  sick 
men's  minds  were  but  little  prepared  for  the  great 
change;  and  although  the  captain  endeavored  to 
Ihe  best  of  his  ability  to  administer  to  them  m 
their  sane  moments  the  consolations  of  reLgion, 
it  is  iruch  A.o  be  feared'  that  they  died  "  as  the 
beasts  tnat  perish." 

The  gloom  which  nangs  over  a  forecastle,  when 
some  of  its  members  have  been  suddenly  taken 
away,  lasted  here  a  shorter  time,  and  was  less 


216  WHALING    AND 

gcnerali}r  felt  than  is  usual.  Our  crew  were  not 
seamen.  They  had  not  the  many  finer  traits  of 
character  which  distinguish  the  true  sailor.  They 
were  selfish,  and  their  many  months  of  close 
intercourse  with  each  other  had  not  called  out 
hose  strong  feelings  of  affectionate  regard  which 
obtain  among  merchant  seamen  under  such  cir- 
cumstances. 

We  were  now  cruising  off  the  beautiful  shores 
of  Bourbon  again,  but  meeting  with  no  whales 
there  our  captain  determined  to  take  a  short  cruise 
around  the  Seychelle  Islands,  and  then  pass  on  to 
the  Sooloo  sea.  Several  of  our  boatsteerers  and 
officers  had  visited  the  Seychelles,  and  described 
them  as  most  beautifully  situated,  fertile,  and 
inhabited  by  a  very  innocent  and  quiet-lived 
people,  the  descendants  of  French  settlers  and  the 
natives.  We  therefore  looked  forward  to  having 
at  last  a  pleasant  run  ashore,  when  we  should 
arrive  there,  as  it  was  understood  that  the  vessel 
would  make  a  stay  of  at  least  a  week  at  one  or 
o*jher  of  the  Islands. 

Our  passage,  which  was  made  much  in  the 
marner  of  a  continuous  cruise,  the  vessel  being 
hov-^  to  under  reefed  sails  every  evening,  and 
standing  on  under  short  canvas  all  day,  was  the 
pleasantest  we  had  yet  experienced.  Foi  part  ol 
the  way  the  south-east  tradewinds  wafted  us  softlj 
along  through  a  climate  which  seemed  that  of  ai\ 
eternal  spring,  filling  us  with  joyous  anticipations 


"HUNNING     A  WAI."  217 

of  the  delights  of  a  land  which  lies  m  the  track 
of  these  genial  breezes. 

For  myself,  I  had  determined  that  I  would 
embrace  the  first  opportunity  to  leave  the  vessel, 
as  I  was  heartily  tired  of  the' monotony  and  dirt 
of  a  whaleship,  as  well  as  of  the  ignorance  and 
brutality  of  those  whom  I  was  compelled  to  own 
as  shipmates  in  the  forecastle.  These  fellows,  who 
claimed  to  be  sailors  because  they  had  contracted 
all  the  vices  usually,  but  in  many  cases  erroneously, 
attributed  to  seamen,  were  to  me  day  by  day 
growing  more  unendurable.  I  had  on  several 
occasions  cut  off  all  communications  with  them, 
keeping  company  only  with  the  three  Portuguese. 
It  is  exceedingly  unpleasant  to  hold  such  relations 
to  individuals  with  whom  one  is  thrown  in  constant 
contact,  and  I  had  already  before  we  sailed  into 
Antcngil  Bay,  made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  at 
the  first  favorable  chance  leave  the  ship. 

Of  course  this  determination  of  mine  was  not 
hinted  to  any  one  else ;  although,  as  is  usual  in 
whaleships,  the  subject  of  "  running  away  "  waa 
daily  discussed  in  the  forecastle.  I  had  learned 
ere  this  voyage  that  "  a  still  tongue  makes  a  wise 
head,"  and  justly  thought  that  the  best  way  to 
secure  the  success  of  my  scheme  was  to  eay 
nothing  about  it. 

I  had  some  time  since  settled  the  preliminaries 
in  my  own  mind,  and  now,  as  it  became  certain 
that  we  should  visit  the  Seychelles,  prepared  some 


218  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

thin  clothing,  which  I  more  especially  desired  to 
take  with  me.  1  judged,  from  what  the  boatsteer- 
ers  '.old  me  of  the  islands,  that  it  would  be  almost 
impossible  to  get  safely  away  from  a  whaleship 
there,  unless  some  merchant  vessel  was  just  then 
in  port,  in  which  to  take  passage.  I  trusted  that 
auch  would  be  the  case,  but  had  determined  to 
try  an  escape  into  the  country,  if  nothing  better 
offered. 

By  dint  of  diligent  inquiry,  I  had  learned  all 
that  was  to  be  gathered  from  those  who  had  before 
visited  the  place,  as  to  the  manners  of  the  inhab- 
itants, their  language,  the  peculiarities  of  the  dif- 
ferent islands,  and  the  modes  of  transport  from 
one  to  the  other.  In  fact,  in  the  absence  of  all 
other  excitement  for  the  mind,  my  projected 
flight  was  the  all-absorbing  topic  with  me.  I 
thought  and  dreamt  of  nought  else,  and  often 
longed  to  take  some  one  to  my  confidence,  and 
talk  over  my  ideas  with  him.  But  this  I  dare  not 
risk. 

Meantime  we  were  cruising  along,  keeping  a 
sharp  lookout  for  whales,  all  hands  being  anxious 
to  fall  in  with  and  capture  a  whale  or  two,  in  order 
that  our  contemplated  stop  at  theSeychelle  islands, 
jvhich  seemed  somewhat  dependent  on  this  con- 
tingency, might  be  secured  beyond  doubt. 

In  fact,  every  circumstance  in  our  lives  was 
henceforth  viewed  merely  as  it  would  affect  or  be 
affected  by  the  looked-for  libert  y  at  the  Seychelles, 


ANTICIPATION.  219 

Was  some  one  in  trouble — "  Never  mind,"  mut- 
tered he  to  himself,  "  we'll  be  in  the  Seychelles 
soon." 

Did  one  have  a  nice  shirt,  or  a  pair  of  trow&ers 
loss  patched  than  usual — "  Those  are  intended  for 
my  go-ashore  suit  at  the  Seychelles." 

Was  our  diurnal  duff  raw,  or  rice  badly  cooked, 
"  Wait  till  we  get  to  the  Seychelles,"  was  the  com- 
forting  reflection. 

Even  a  quarrel  in  the  forecastle  was  tempora- 
rily patched  up,  to  be  settled  by  due  course  of 
fisticuffs  "  on  our  arrival  at  the  Seychelles." 

Our  entire  lives  hinged  upon  that  now  delight 
ful  name. 

It  was  when  we  were  about  half  way  between 
Bourbon  and  the  Seychelles,  that  one  morning 
whales  were  seen  from  the  masthead.  They  were 
to  windward  of  us,  and  were  going  along  at  steady 
rate,  evidently  making  a  passage.  Hour  after 
hour,  as  we  stood  after  them,  the  musical  cry  of 
"there  blows,"  was  shouted  from  the  masthead 
by  the  dozen  men  there  gathered  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  fish  ;  until  finally,  at  twelve 
o'clock,  it  was  judged  a  favorable  time  to  lower. 

The  whales  had  just  turned  flukes,  and  it  wa* 
thought,  as  they  were  not  under  very  great  head- 
way, that  by  means  of  oars  and  sails  we  might 
place  the  boats  in  a  favorable  position  for  fasten- 
ing  by  the  time  they  rose  again.  Luckily  for  us, 
while  yet  urging  the  boats  ahead,  the  whales 
appeared  at  but  very  little  distance  from  us,  and 


220  WHALING    AN.D    FISHING. 

the  second  mate  at  once  pulled  up  and  struck  one 
We  made  for  another  fish,  but  the  school  immedi. 
ately  disappeared,  leaving  the  struck  whale  tc 
fight  his  own  battles. 

He  however  did  not  seem  disposed  to  fignt. 
The  iron  had  been  darted  into  one  of  his  eyes, 
and  he  was  evidently  in  great  agony.  He  did  not 
sound  when  struck,  as  is  usual  with  sperm  whales, 
but  after  giving  two  or  three  violent  strokes  on 
the  water  with  his  flukes,  began  rolling  round 
and  round,  until  he  had  a  large  part  of  one  tub- 
full  of  the  second  mate's  line  wound  about  his 
body.  In  his  agony  he  would  occasionally  dart 
wildly  through  the  water,  but  in  a  short  time  re- 
sumed his  rolling  again,  seeming,  I  thought,  to  be 
trying  by  this  means  to  extract  the  dart. 

This  rolling  over  of  course  gave  a  fair  chance 
for  a  lance  to  be  aimed  at  his  breast,  and  in  fifteen 
minutes  after  he  was  struck  he  was  in  his  flurry, 
throwing  his  ponderous  body  about  with  the  swift- 
ness and  agility  of  a  mackerel. 

When  he  was  dead,  and  rolled  over  "  fin  out," 
we  had  an  instance  of  how  surely  a  dead  whale 
will  work  to  windward — that  is,  will  drift  against 
the  force  of  both  wind  and  sea.  The  vessel,  by 
brisk  working,  had  been  brought  to  windward  of 
our  prize  and  hove  to.  While,  however,  the  fluke 
chain  and  its  adjuncts  were  being  prepared,  she 
drifted  off  again  to  leeward.  It  was  to  be  ex- 
pected that  so  un  wieldly  a  body  as  a  whale,  lying 
helpless  upon  the  water,  would  have  drifted  off 


SULPHUR-BOTTOMS.  221 

ft  early  as  fast  as  the  vessel;  but  on  the  contrary, 
we  could  plainly  see  that  it  moved,  if  at  all,  the 
other  way,  against  the  wind. 

"How  do  you  account  for  that?"  asked  I  of 
the  mate,  while  we  were  trying  out. 

"  Whalemen  say  it  is  caused  by  the  lower  fin  of 
the  whale,  which  hangs  loosely  down  in  the  water 
as  he  lies  upon  his  side.  As  the  sea  sweeps  under 
the  body,  this  fin  catches  the  water  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  and  being  yet  bound  by  the  muscles,  at 
each  sweep  throws  the  whale's  body  slightly  back, 
thus  neutralizing  the  force  of  the  wave." 

The  next  day  we  saw  a  huge  finback  of  the 
kind  called  the  sulphur -bottom.  They  are  very 
large,  and  the  blubber  is  reputed  to  make  oil  fully 
equal  to  sperm  oil.  Marvelous  stories  are  told  by 
whalemen,  of  the  size  of  these  sulphur-bottoms, 
some  having  been  taken  which  turned  out  from 
one  hundred  and  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  sixty 
barrels  of  oil.  They  run,  on  being  struck,  just  as 
does  the  real  fin-back,  and  oftentimes  sink  when 
at  the  point  of  death,  thus  again  disappointing 
the  expectant  whaleman. 

The  mode  most  depended  on  for  capturing  them 
is  to  go  on  with  a  lance  and  an  iron  in  the  bows. 
The  lance  being  darted  first,  if  there  is  reasonable 
cause  to  suppose  that  it  has  struck  his  life,  it  18 
immediately  followed  by  the  iron.  If  it  has  not 
inflicted  a  mortal  wound,  the  iron  is  withheld,  aa 
in  that  case  the  fish  would  go  off  at  top  speed, 


222  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

and  tne  coat  would  only  have  to  cut  loose,  with 
the  loss  of  a  harpoon  and  a  portion  of  the  line. 

Many  whalemen  will  not  lower  for  sulphur-bet* 
toms,  considering  t  lem  too  troublesome.  Oui 
captain  was  of  this  opinion,  and  the  monster  fieh 
used,  therefore,  to  pass  the  vessel  with  perfect 
impunity.  Their  spout  resembles  a  sperm  whale's, 
but  they  differ  in  shape,  having  no  hump,  and 
being  much  longer. 

"  Does  any  one  ever  try  finbacks — or  how  is  it 
known  that  they  run  ?  "  I  asked,  one  evening  as 
we  stood  by  the  try -fires,  discussing  the  merits  of 
sulphur-bottoms,  and  other  running  whales. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  second  mate,  "  most  people  have 
a  desire  to  satisfy  themselves  upon  the  question, 
and  generally  do  so  before  they  *can  rest  easy 
while  a  fat  finback  is  sailing  lazily  past  them. 
Last  voyage  we  were  cruising  in  the  Sooloo  sea, 
where  the  skipper  now  talks  of  going,  when  one 
beautiful  afternoon,  as  we  were  gently  gliding 
over  a  sea  almost  as  smooth  as  glass,  a  good  sized 
finback  hove  his  ridge  out  of  water  just  ahead  of 
the  boat.  We  had  lowered  for  a  school  of  sperm 
whales,  gallied  them  by  some  accident,  and  were 
now  returning  aboard  empty-handed,  to  get  a 
jawing  from  the  skipper.  As  1  sat  in  the  bow, 
whither  I  had  gone  to  get  under  shelter  of  the  sail. 
which  flapped  lazily  against  the  mast,  the  thought 
gtiuck  me  to  fasten  to  this  fish,  and  prove  for  my- 
self what  the  consequences  of  such  an  act  would  be 


STRIKING     A     FINBACK.  223 

"  I  motioned  to  the  boatsteerer  to  lay  the  boat 
i-ound,  so  that  with  the  little  headway  she  had 
she  would  glide  on  him  and  give  me  a  fair  dart. 
As  he  came  within  reach  I  put  out  my  utmost 
(Strength  and  sent  an  iron  deep  into  his  bilge. 

"  He  never  stopped  to  kick,  but  putting  his 
head  on  a  level  with  the  water's  edge,  started  off 
at  such  speed  as  I  don't  believe  whale-boat  ever 
went  before. 

"  Mast  and  sail  were  carried  straight  over  the 
stern,  and  as  the  boatsteerer,  in  obedience  to  my 
cry,  held  in  the  line,  before  I  could  grasp  the 
boat-hatchet  and  cut  line,  we  were  half  full  of 
water.  With  such  force  was  the  boat  dragged 
through  the  water  that  she  leaked  like  a  sieve  from 
the  strain.  This  specimen  of  a  finback's  running 
powers  satisfied  me  fully." 

It  was  on  a  calm  and  beautiful  day,  a  week 
before  we  saw  the  long  wished-for  Seychelles,  that 
the  captain,  who  was  taking  a  walk  around  the 
vessel,  noticed  the  man  at  the  foreroyal- masthead 
gazing  placidly  down  upon  deck,  instead  of  keep 
ing  his  eyes  on  the  waste  of  waters  before  him. 

"  There  are  no  whales  down  here,  Henry,"  re 
marked  he,  by  way  of  reminder  of  his  duty. 

"Well,  captain,"  drawled  out  Henry,  who  was 
»s  good-natured  and  stupid  a  fellow  as  ever  lived 
"  there  are  none  up  here." 

The  captain  grinned,  as  did  all  who  heard  the 
reply.  Scarce  a  minute  had  elapsed,  however, 


224  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

before  the  mate,  who  was  at  the  main  roya; 
masthead,  sang  out  lustily,  "  There  she  Whitewa- 
ters," a  cry  which  roused  all  hands  from  a  pleas- 
ant doze,  and  caused  some  of  us  to  run  up  the 
rigging  to  examine  for  ourselves  the  "whito- 
ivater." 

"  There  blows,"  repeated  the  masthead's-man 

"  One,"  said  the  captain. 

"  There  blows  !  "  from  the  masthead. 

{C  Two,"  from  the  captain. 

u  There  blows!" 

"  Three." 

"  There  blows  !  " 

•<  Four." 

"  There  blows !  " 

"  Sperm  whales,  by  all  that's  good  ami  bad,' 
now  shouted  the  captain  in  ecstacy.  "Get  youi 
boats  ready,  while  I  £o  .iloft  and  watch  them." 

There  was  no  necessity  for  backing  the  mam 
yard,  for  there  was  scarce  a  breath  of  air,  and  the 
ship  had  not  steerage  way  on.  The  whales  were 
about  two  miles  off,  and  it  was  determined  to 
lower  as  soon  as  they  turned  flukes,  and  try  to 
get  fast  the  next  rising. 

"  You  may  as  well  cast  loose  the  paddles,  Char. 
ley,"  said  the  boatsteerer,  as  I  was  making  ready 
some  of  the  boat-gear,  "  we  shall  not  use  the  oars 
much  to-day." 

"  There  goes  flukes,"  was  the  signal  for  lower- 
ing the  boats,  and  we  set  out  merrily  for  the  spot 


"GOING     ON"     IN     A     CALM.  225 

where  the  fish  were  expected  to  make  their  next 
appearance. 

After  pulling  about  a  mile,  the  oars  were  peaked, 
and  the  balance  of  the  distance  was  overcome  by 
means  of  the  paddles.  To  use  these,  the  crew 
sit  upon  the  gunwale  of  the  boat,  with  their  faces 
toward  the  bow.  This  is  therefore  a  much  pleas- 
anter  way  of  approaching  a  whale  than  by  pull- 
ing, or  rowing,  as  landsmen  would  say.  In  fact, 
although  much  is  said  of  the  excitement  of  whal- 
ing, I  doubt  if  much  of  this  excitement  is  felt  by 
those  who,  sitting  with  their  backs  to  the  fish, 
have  no  further  share  in  his  capture  than  placing 
the  boat  in  a  position  to  enable  the  harpooneers- 
man  to  "  make  fast." 

The  boatheader,  as  commanding  officer  on  the 
occasion,  no  doubt  feels  a  pleasant  degree  of 
elevation,  while  the  boatsteerer,  if  he  has  confi. 
dence  in  the  "  header  "  and  in  himself,  is  also 
under  the  influence  of  a  pleasing  excitement, 
and  thinks  it  glorious  sport.  But  to  the  men  at 
the  oars  it  is,  I  judge,  a  good  deal  as  though  they 
were  being  conveyed  to  the  center  of  a  field  of 
battle,  blindfolded,  and  seated  on  a  car,  with  their 
backs  to  the  enemy.  It  is  only  in  fine  weather, 
when  sailing  is  feasible,  or  paddling  becomes  neces- 
sary, that  I  ever  saw  a  whaleboat's  crew  entering 
into  the  spirit  of  the  chase  and  capture.  Then 
indeed,  as  on  this  occasion,  it  is  glorious  sport. 

The  whales  rose  one  by  one,  and  at  considera- 
ble distances  from  each  other,  thus  giving  several 
15 


226  WHALING     AND    FISHING. 

boats  an  opportunity  for  getting  fast  Out 
chance  was,  however,  likely  to  be  the  best,  as  t_ie 
whale  nearest  us  was  approaching  the  boat,  meet 
Lag  her  head  and  head. 

"  Paddle  silently,  boys,"  whispered  the  mate. 

We  dipped  our  paddles  into  the  water  'Trill. 
long  and  easy  sweeps,  scarce  breathing,  for  feui 
of  startling  the  whale  who,  occasionally  spouting, 
was  surging  slowly  toward  us.  He  was  entirely 
unsuspicious  of  our  presence,  and  acted  as  though 
half  asleep.  More  than  fifteen  minutes  elapsed 
before  we  were  sufficiently  near  to  lay  aside  our 
paddles — fifteen  minutes  of  eager  excitement  to 
every  one  of  us. 

The  boat  soo-n  lost  her  headway,  and  now  lay 
almost  motionless  upon  the  water.  The  boat- 
steerer,  iron  in  hand,  stood  with  his  knee  against 
the  lubber-chock.  "We  had  resumed  our  seats, 
but  with  one  hand  resting  upon  the  oars,  were 
engrossed  in  watching  the  whales.  The  mate,  in 
the  stern ,  having  thrown  the  bight  of  the  line 
about  the  loggerhead,  was  now  slowly  laying  the 
bo.at  around  with  his  steering  oar,  to  give  Barnard 
a  oetter  chance. 

On  came  the  whale — very  slowly,  I  thought— 
every  moment  of  delay  increasing  the  excite- 
ment. Every  breath  was  held ;  no  one  dared 
move  a  jot. 

The  dropping  of  a  pin  in  the  boat  might  almost 
have  been  heard,  and  if  heard  would  certainly 
have  excited  numberless  internal  oaths,  so  fearfu) 


AN     UGLY     WHALE.  227 

were  we  of  disturbing  the  yet  unconscious  whale. 
Now  we  were  within  dart. 

Why  don't  you  throw  your  iron  ?  is  a  question 
frowningly  expressed  upon  every  countenance. 

Giving  the  boat  a  last  strong  sweep  around,  so 
as  to  bring  her  bows  at  right  angles  with  his  body, 
the  mate  nods,  us  i  sign  to  dart,  and  on  the  instant 
a  startled  splash  of  the  whale's  flukes  proclaims 
that  we  are  fast. 

Drawing  a  long  breath,  we  grasped  our  oars 
and  backed  water.  The  whale  darted  under  the 
boat,  but  did  not  sound  to  a  great  depth.  All  was 
now  noise  and  activity. 

"  Haul  in,  he's  not  going  to  sound,"  cried  the 
mate. 

"  Are  those  lances  ready?  " 

The  lances  were  already  out  of  their  becket,  and 
in  another  moment  were  on  their  rests.  The 
whale,  after  lying  for  a  few  moments  quite  still 
at  the  depth  to  which  he  had  sounded,  as  we  could 
tell  by  our  line,  rose  to  the  surface  not  far  from 
the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  "  throwing  his  jaw  off," 
(as  opening  his  mouth  is  called),  darted  about  in 
a  circle,  evidently  preparing  himself  for  mischief. 

As  he  swept  in  a  circle  around  the  boat,  we  were 
compelled  to  follow  him,  turning  the  boat  contin- 
ually to  keep  her  head  on.  The  mate  kept  a 
taut  line  on  him,  determined  to  lose  no  time 
before  lancing.  But  his  gyrations  did  not  afford 
an  opportunity.  Twice  he  darted  for  the  boat, 
but  each  time  sounded  to  a  little  depth  before 


228  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

coming  within  dart.  This  play  continued  half  an 
hour  or  more,  and  our  utmost  efforts  were  required 
at  times  to  keep  the  boat  from  being  capsized,  so 
iwiftly  did  he  drag  her  around. 

"  If  we  only  had  a  loose  boat  here  now,  to  lance 
him,  or  engage  his  attention  for  a  moment,"  mut- 
tered Barnard,  whose  berth  at  the  steering  oaj 
was  just  now  of  the  most  unpleasant. 

"  Blast  the  ugly  beast,  Barnard,  we'll  have  to 
give  a  little  more  line  •  the  boat  came  near  being 
capsized  that  last  round,"  said  the  mate. 

For  a  moment,  indeed,  this  had  been  deemed 
inevitable,  but  by  instinctively  crowding  over  to 
the  upper  side,  and  by  the  activity  of  the  boat 
steerer  with  his  steering  oar,  we  were  saved  from 
that  mishap. 

"There,  we're  loose  by  all  that's  devilish!"  was 
Barnard's  exclamation  as  the  boat  suddenlv  ceased 
to  whirl  round,  and  our  line  floated  loosely  on  the 
water.  The  whale,  as  though  knowing  he  was 
released,  immediately  started  off  at  a  speed  which 
rendered  all  chase  useless.  He  had  gotten  the 
line  into  his  mouth  which  was  wide  open  all  the 
time,  and  with  the  constant  strain  it  had  chafed  in 
two  against  the  rough  skin  on  his  jaw. 

With  disappointed  looks  we  watched  our  whale. 
He  made  good  headway  from  us,  and  at  last  turned 
flukes  at  the  distance  of  a  mile,  still  heading  from 
as. 

"I  did  not  know  but  he  would  come  back,  and 
give  us  another  chance,"  remarked  the  mate. 


STOVE.  229 

"He  seemed  to  be  an  ugly  tempered  fellow,  and 
they  sometimes  come  back  to  have  a  little  re- 
venge." 

"We  laughed  at  this,  and  commenced  pnEing 
down  toward  the  other  boats,  which  we  saw 
about  two  miles  off  in  a  direction  opposite  to  thai 
which  our  whale  had  taken. 

Some  fifteen  minutes  had  elapsed,  and  we  were 
yet  slowly  pulling  along,  discussing  our  adventure, 
when  the  boatsteerer  suddenly  shouted  at  the  top 
of  his  voice, — 

"  Pull  hard !  pull  hard !  there's  a  whale  under 
us!" 

Before  this  could  be  done— in  fact,  before  he  had 
fairly  uttered  his  warning — we  heard  a  crash,  and 
felt  the  boat  lifted  up  under  us.  In  the  next  mo- 
ment all  but  the  mate  and  myself  were  thrown  into 
the  water,  and  the  boat  was  restored  to  her  equi- 
librium, half  filled  and  leaking  fast  at  every  seam. 

The  whale,  which  had  struck  beneath  the  tub- 
oarsman's  thwart,  was  now  standing  perpendicu- 
larly in  the  water,  with  his  jaw  thrown  wide  open, 
and  his  junk  raised  in  the  air.  Thus  he  remained 
for  the  space  of  a  minute,  seemingly  waiting  for 
something  to  drop  into  his  extended  maw:  then 
resuming  his  horizontal  position  he  once  more 
made  off. 

Had  the  men  been  in  the  boat,  the  mate  would 
have  fastened  to  him  again,  wrecked  as  we  were 
But  there  was  no  one  to  lay  the  boat's  head  roun^ 
awd  to  have  struck  him  from  the  stern  would  have 


230  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

exposed  all  to  almost  certain  destruction,  without 
any  reasonable  prospect  of  getting  the  whale.  We 
immediately  commenced  bailing  the  boat,  each 
man  as  he  crawled  aboard  over  bow  or  stern  (for 
so  full  of  water  was  the  boat,  that  a  touch  upon 
her  side  woiild  have  capsized  her),  going  to  work. 
Buckets,  hats,  shoes,  and  every  thing  else  available 
were  brought  into  requisition,  and  we  soon  got  the 
water  so  far  under  that  two  men  could  be  set  to 
work  with  paddles ;  and  thus  while  the  rest  bailed 
we  slowly  reached  the  ship.  Here  the  boat  was 
wrapped  round  with  mats  and  ropes,  and  hoisted 
in  to  be  repaired.  A  few  of  her  after  timbers 
were  broken ;  nearly  every  plank  was  started,  and 
her  keel  was  splintered  in  two  places. 

The  whale,  as  we  knew  by  our  iron  which  was 
sticking  in  his  back,  was  the  same  we  had  struck. 
After  going  down  at  the  distance  of  a  mile,  his 
temper  probably  got  the  better  of  him,  and 
he  returned  to  wreak  revenge  on  his  assailants. 
Barnard^  who  was  the  first  to  discover  him,  said 
he  saw  a  huge  body  glistening  as  it  rose  rapidly 
under  the  boat,  and  at  once  guessed  it  to  be  a 
whale,  not  thinking  however,  till  we  all  saw  the 
iron  in  his  back,  that  it  was  the  whale. 

None  of  the  other  boats  succeeded  in  getting 
fast.  The  crews  said  that  although  that  portion 
of  the  school  which  they  were  pursuing,  was  at 
/east  two  miles  from  us,  they  knew  the  moment 
we  got  fast,  by  the  sudden  disappearance  of  every 
Whale. 


MA  HE 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MAKE — A  Newspaper — The  Islands — Their  Inhabitants — A  l&ty 
man's  Paradise — Plans  for  Escape — George  Thompson's  Yarn 
— A  Cruise  in  a  Whale-boat — The  Escape — Sailing  along 
Shore — The  Arrival  at  Mozambique — Concerning  Attempts  to 
Desert  from  Whaleships — Some  Reasons  for  the  Frequency 
of  such  Attempts. 

WE  cruised  for  about  a  week  after  the  accident 
described  in  the  preceding  chapter,  in  hopes  to  see 
the  school  of  whales  again,  and  make  prizes  of 
some  of  them.  Not  meeting  with  whales  however, 
at  the  end  of  that  time,  we  stood  in  for  the  land, 
which  was  never  during  the  week  more  than  one 
day's  sail  oif,  and  in  twenty  hours  were  anchored 
in  the  harbor  of  Port  Victoria,  or  Mahe*,  as  it  is 
more  generally  called,  that  being  the  name  of  the 
Island  upon  which  the  town  is  located. 

We  came  to  anchor  at  night,  and  at  early  dawn 
were  boarded  by  the  harbor  master,  (whose  prin- 
cipal business  seemed  to  be  to  receive  and  dispense 
news)  and  shortly  after  by  a  host  of  natives, 
who  brought  alongside  all  manner  of  fruits  and 
vegetables,  and — wonder  of  wonders — some  copies 
of  a  newspaper,  published  on  the  Island. 

'«  The  Seychelle  News  Lettr-"  so  it  was  called,  wai 


232  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

a  diminutive  specimen  of  newspaperdom,  printed 
on  very  coarse,  dark  paper,  and  from  what  is 
known  by  printers  as  pica  type.  One-half  was 
in  English  and  the  other  half  French,  a  great 
part  of  the  latter  being  taken  up  with  the  never- 
failing  feuilleton.  I  purchased  a  copy  for  a  plug 
of  tobacco,  and  read  the  news  while  discussing  my 
breakfast,  a  compound  luxury  I  had  not  enjoyed 
for  a  long  time. 

Mahe,  which  is  the  principal,  and  I  believe 
largest  of  the  Seychelle  group,  is  sixteen  miles 
long,  and  about  four  miles  broad.  It  is  mountain- 
ous, as  are  all  the  islands  in  the  Indian  ocean,  but 
is  withal  very  fertile,  and  has  a  most  enchanting 
climate.  The  natives,  who  use  the  French  lan- 
guage, understanding  but  little  English,  are  of 
various  hues,  from  the  light  olive  of  the  southern 
Frenchman  to  the  coal  black  of  the  native  Mada- 


These  islands  were  first  settled  by  Frenchmen 
and  belonged  to  the  French  until  1794.  They  are 
now  a  dependency  of  the  government  of  the  Mau- 
ritius. But  although  the  English  flag  flies  there> 
and  British  colonial  laws  are  administered,  tho 
inhabitants  yet  cherish  their  love  for  "  la  belle 
Frame"  and  I  never  heard  "vive  la  republique" 
shouted  with  more  fervency  than  by  one  of  our 
visitors  when  talking  with  the  captain  on  the  then 
recent  great  events  in  France. 

In  days  past,  before  the  English  abolished 
slavery,  numbers  of  Madagassy  were  brought  to 


A    LAZY    MAN'S    PARADISE.        233 

these  islands  as  slaves.  Their  descendants  still 
form  in  great  part  the  laboring  classes.  They  <xre 
a  bocrish  and  rude  set,  and  have  profited  little 
from  iheir  admixture  with  the  gentle  and  peace- 
fill  F/ench  Creole  population,  except  indeed  where, 
us  is  to  a  considerable  extent  the  case,  a  fusion  of 
the  two  races  has  taken  place.  The  whites  art? 
still  the  leading  people,  and  have  the  commerce 
of  the  islands  in  their  hands.  They  take  great 
pride  in  the  purity  of  their  blood,  and  look  down 
with  no  little  contempt  upon  mulattoes  and  quad- 
roons,  while  these  in  turn  despise  the  woolly- 
headed  descendants  of  the  Madagassy.  The 
whites  and  those  of  mixed  blood  have  all  the 
grace  and  liveliness  peculiar  to  the  French  char- 
acter, tempered  with  a  gentleness  which  renders 
the  men  almost  feminine  in  their  manners,  and 
makes  the  women  very  charming. 

The  islands— there  are  thirty  in  tho  group — 
seemed  to  me  the  realization  of  a  lazy  man's  idea 
of  paradise.  The  constant  sea-breeze  tempers  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  and  makes  the  air  slightly  invig- 
orating instead  of  enervating*.  All  kinds  of  trop- 
ical fruits  grow  spontaneously,  or  with  the  least 
possible  degree  of  care,  in  a  most  generous  soil. 
Shelter  is  s  "arcely  needed,  and  clothing,  beyond 
what  decency  prescribes,  is  altogether  superfluous. 
It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  if  the  peo- 
ple are  "  doless,"  and  live  contentedly  a  quiet, 
inactive  existence.  On  many  of  the  smaller 
islands,  so  I  was  informed,  bananas,  bread-fruit  and 


234  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

fish  are  the  principal  food  of  the  natives,  who 
build  their  huts  under  the  shade  of  a  pleasant 
grove,  and,  to  use  an  expression  of  our  black 
sook,  "  have  Sunday  every  day  in  the  week." 

No  sooner  were  we  in  port  than  plans  without 
number  were  formed  and  discussed  in  the  forecas* 
tie,  by  those  who  had  grown  dissatisfied  with  :he 
ship  or  the  business  she  was  engaged  in,  aud 
therefore  desired  to  leave — or  to  state  it  in  blunl 
English,  to  desert.  Of  our  entire  crew,  leaving 
out  of  consideration  the  boatsteerers  and  officers 
whose  interests  were  of  course  identified  with  the 
vessel,  none  but  one  Portuguese  and  the  black 
cook  really  cared  to  stay.  Each  of  the  others  had 
a  plan  for  making  good  his  own  escape  ;  and  at  a 
distance,  while  we  were  yet  at  sea,  each  of  these 
plans  looked  feasible  enough. 

Some  thought  to  take  one  of  the  ship's  boats, 
and  go  in  her  to  some  of  the  other  islands, 
where,  setting  the  boat  adrift,  they  would  conceal 
themselves  till  the  ship  was  necessitated  to  leave 
those  waters.  Some  thought  to  procure  a  passage 
to  a  neighboring  island  in  a  small  coasting  pin- 
nace. Others  yet  were  convinced  that  they  would 
be  able  to  subsist  in  the  mountain  region  of  Mane*, 
and  render  all  search  for  them  futile. 

Once  in  port,  and  with  the  land  staring  them  in 
the  face,  several  lost  heart  altogether,  and  aban- 
doned further  thought  of  an  undertaking  in  which 
they  would  have,  without  means,  to  cast  them- 
selves among  strangers,  most  of  whom  could  not 


DESEEIION.  235 

even  understand  their  language.  The  rest  found 
their  plans  of  escape  so  little  conformable  to  the 
existing  state  of  things,  that  they  were  forced  to 
devise  new  wayt  and  means. 

Meantime,  the  captain  was  making  preparations 
to  thwart  any  attempts  at  desertion,  by  putting 
such  of  the  natives  as  would  serve  him,  on  the 
alert,  preparing  to  use  them  as  scouts  who  could 
be  quickly  put  upon  the  track  of  those  who  failed 
to  return  on  board  in  due  season.  Whaling  cap- 
tains, in  general,  are  up  to  pretty  much  all  the 
tricks  of  their  crews,  and  always  chose  a  "  lib- 
erty "  port  with  an  eye  to  the  facilities  it  affords 
for  retaking  fugitives.  Not  one  whaleship  in  fifty 
brings  home  from  a  three  years'  cruise  the  crew 
which  took  her  out.  Few  young  men  are  satis- 
fied with  the  monotonous  life  of  a  whaleman,  and 
fewer  yet  are  proof  against  the  seductions  of  the 
shore,  when  visiting  it,  as  we  were  now,  after 
eleven  months  of  hard  fare  and  all  manner  of 
privation.  So  that  most  of  those  who  complete  the 
voyage,  (here  of  course  I  speak  of  the  forecastle 
bands),  do  so  not  from  choice,  but  because  the 
vigilance  of  the  captain,  or  theii  own  ignorance 
and  poverty  of  resources,  has  rendered  th»ii 
escape  impossible.  Nothing  is  more  common  in 
a  whaleship's  forecastle  than  to  hear  the  crew,  even 
fct  an  advanced  stage  of  the  voyage,  speak  of  their 
hopes  to  escape  at  the  next  port. 

And  here  is  shown  the  wisdom  of  captains  and 
owners  in  shipping  i  one  but  green  hands.  Sailori 


236  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

it  is  next  to  impossible  to  keep  on  board  when 
they  once  take  it  into  their  heads  to  leave.  Used  to 
foreign  lands  and  ways,  they  fear  not  to  throiv 
themselves  at  haphazard  among  any  people,  sine 
that  they  will  be  able  to  work  their  way  through 
"somehow."  Besides,  to  the  sailor  all  other  ships 
are  open,  whereas  the  ignorant  whaleman,  making 
his  first  trip,  is  worthless  as  a  seaman,  and  utterly 
unknowing  of  anything  beyond  his  own  ship. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  disadvantages,  how- 
ever, nine  out  of  ten  in  every  whal^  crew  desert, 
generally  paying  for  their  foolhardiness  by  a  most 
wretched  life  of  exposure,  privation  and  poverty, 
and  in  the  end  falling  upon  the  tender  mercies 
of  some  American  Consul,  or  working  their  way 
homeward,  broken  down  in  health,  and  spirits, 
and  morals. 

Numberless  stories  are  told  of  escapes  of  whale- 
men  from  their  vessels.  I  knew  an  old  salt,  who 
was  one  of  the  crew  of  a  vessel  cruising  for  whales 
on  the  coasts  of  Madagascar.  The  crew  were  dis- 
satisfied and  determined  to  leave,  but  the  captain, 
,<vware  of  their  purpose,  took  care  to  enter  only 
aiose  ports,  principally  on  the  island  around  which 
chey  were  cruising,  where  he  knew  that  his  men 
either  dared  not  go  ashore,  because  the  natives 
would  kill  them,  €>r  where  for  ten  dollars  he  could 
have  a  whole  crew  caught  and  delivered  to  him. 

"We  were  lying  in  Nos  Beh,  (an  island  off  the 
the  northwest  coast  of  Madagascar),"  said  George 
Thompson,  who  spun  us  this  yarn,  one  midwatch, 


A     CRUISE     IN     A     WHALEBOAT.          237 

while  snugly  stowed  away  under  the  bulwarks  of 
an  old  lime-juicer.  "  There  is  a  French  settle- 
ment there,  and  the  captain  had  told  us,  on  com- 
.ii£  to  anchor,  that  this  was  our  appointed  liberty 
}  hu-e,  informing  us  at  the  same  time  with  a  tri- 
umphant grin,  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  commandant,  and  that  if  any  of  us  felt  inclir  ed 
for  an  excursion  into  the  country,  we  might  make 
sure  of  a  safe  escort  back  within  forty-eight  hom* 
after  our  departure  from  the  ship. 

"  Six  of  us,  including  one  of  the  boatsteerers, 
had  made  up  our  minds  to  run  away  at  all  haz- 
ards ;  but  we  now  found  our  purpose  completely 
frustrated,  at  least  so  far  as  taking  refuge  on  shore 
was  concerned.  Upon  consultation,  we  resolved 
upon  the  rather  desperate  measure  of  going  off 
in  one  of  the  ship's  boats.  But  where  to  ?  Johanna 
and  Zanzibar  were  suggested,  as  being  the  nearest 
poiits;  but  the  first  was  a  regular  resort  for  whale- 
men, where  we  would  no  doubt  be  detained,  and 
the  last  was  too  far  off,  while  in  addition  there 
was  an  American  Consul  there,  into  whose  clutches 
it  would  not  do  to  fall.  We  finally  concluded  that 
Mozambique  was  the  only  safe  ^)lace  for  us,  and 
although  this  would  be  a  long  passage  to  make  in 
an  open  boat,  WQ  determined  to  try  it. 

"  Three  days  and  nights  were  consumed  in 
preparation.  A  considerable  stock  of  bread  and 
oiolas&ee  was  provided,  with  a  very  little  salt 
j-*rl£,  this  being  too  great  an  incentive  to  thirst  to 
bo  of  mud  use  to  us.  The  water  breakers  in  the 


238  WHALING     A.ND    PISHING. 

other  boats  were  carefully  filled,  in  readiness  to 
be  placed  in  the  one  destined  to  carry  us. 

"  On  the  third  night,  about  two  o'clock,  we  fas- 
tened the  cabin  doors  as  well  as  we  could  without 
noise,  and  then,  all  things  being  in  readiness, 
clothing  and  provisions  fairly  stowed  away,  and 
oars  ready  for  instant  use,  we  rapidly  lowered 
away  the  boat,  and  jumping  in,  put  off  from  the 
ship. 

"  The  noise  we  made  in  lowering  away  roused 
the  officers,  and  by  the  time  we  were  half  a  dozen 
Bhips'  lengths  from  the  vessel,  we  were  hailed  by 
the  captain,  who  called  on  us  to  return,  threaten- 
ing all  sorts  of  vengeance  if  we  refused. 

"  *  Pull  away,  lads,'  said  one  of  our  number, 
1  we  have  no  breath  to  waste.' 

"  We  were  momentarily  increasing  our  distance, 
and  would  soon  be  safe  from  all  pursuit,  should 
such  be  made  in  the  boats  j  but  now  came  a  shot, 
tfhich  struck  the  man  at  the  steering-oar.  On 
seeing  the  blood,  one  or  two  of  our  number  grew 
scared,  and  proposed  to  return. 

"  *  Pull  ahead,'  said  the  wounded  man,  sternly. 
as  he  tied  his  neckhandkerchief  about  his  wounded 
thigh. 

"  A  few  strokes  more  and  we  were  out  of  reach 
of  tho  shot  which  were  still  sent  after  us;  and 
soon  a  projection  of  the  land  hid  the  ship  from 
our  view.  We  now  set  up  the  compass  with  which 
every  whaleboat  is  furnished,  and  hoisting  our 
•ail,  put  the  boat  on  her  course  for  the  mainland 


A     CRUISE     IN     A     WHALEBOAT.          235 

of  Madagascar,  which  would  be  visible  at  day- 
light. But  to  make  our  escape  doubly  secure,  we 
continued  pulling  for  some  hours  longer,  not 
knowing  but  that  our  captain  would  pursue  us 
with  the  ship. 

"  Daylight  disclosed  to  us  the  land  of  Madagas- 
jur  ahead,  and  as  no  pursuers  appeared,  we  ship- 
ped in  our  oars,  and  stood  along  under  sail 
pleasantly  enough.  The  morning  was  bright  a  ad 
calm,  with  a  good  breeze,  and  as  we  skimm«»d 
along  over  the  water,  and  began  to  realize  that 
after  two  years  of  subjection  we  were  once  more 
our  own  masters,  we  felt  light-hearted  and  equal 
to  any  emergency.  The  wound  of  our  steersman 
proved  to  be  slight,  a  mere  scratch,  which  would 
not  trouble  him. 

"  It  now  became  necessary  to  take  a  cool  survey 
of  our  position  and  resources.  It  had  been  deter- 
mined beforehand,  that  we  should  sail  along  the 
western  shore  of  Madagascar  until  we  judged  our- 
selves abreast  of  Mozambique,  and  then  bold'y 
stand  across  the  channel,  which  is  just  there  at 
the  narrowest,  being  not  more  than  two  hundred 
miles  wide.  By  actual  count  of  our  biscuits,  we 
found  that  we  had  sufficient  to  last  us,  on  a  mode- 
rate allowance,  for  three  weeks.  Of  water  we  had 
enough  for  ten  days,  we  judged,  but  of  this,  as  we 
were  to  sail  along  shore,  we  hoped  to  procure  a 
supply  before  we  were  entirely  destitute. 

"Two  of  our  number  could  navigate,  and  we 
bad  with  us  a  quadrant,  a  Bowditch,  and  a  sraaiJ 


240  WHALING    AND     FISHIN3. 

chart  of  the  coast  of  Madagascar,  by  the  help  s.f 
which  we  trusted  to  be  able  to  find  our  way  over 
the  deep.  We  elected  Long  Tom  Coffin,  the  man 
who  was  shot,  our  chief,  and  then  divided  our- 
selves off  into  watches,  holding  the  helmsman 
for  th  e  time  being  responsible  for  a  correct  reck- 
oning of  the  course  and  distance  made  during  his 
trick,  and  putting  upon  Long  Tom  the  labor  of 
keeping  a  regular  log. 

"  A  spare  royal  which  one  of  us  had  thrown  in, 
made  a  most  excellent  shelter  for  the  watch  at 
night,  and  for  all  hands  that  desired  to  sleep  during 
the  day.  You  can  have  no  idea  how  well  we  got 
along.  The  weather  remained  very  fine,  and  the 
wind  was  continually  fair,  while,  sailing  along 
shore  as  we  were,  at  no  greater  distance  than  was 
necessary  to  skip,  as  it  were,  from  headland  to 
headland,  the  sea  was  always  so  smooth  that  our 
little  craft  got  over  it  at  a  remarkable  rate.  We 
named  her  the  Dancing  Feather,  Long  Tom 
swearing  that  she  danced  better  than  the  prettiest 
girl  he  had  ever  seen. 

"  After  all  preliminaries  were  settled,  and  we 
were  taking  a  quiet  look  around,  Tom,  who  seemed 
to  have  thought  of  everything,  produced  a  bun- 
dle of  books.  He  had  ransack  .id  every  chest  in 
the  forecastle,  and  borrowed  all  he  could  of  the 
boatsteerers.  The  two  dozen  volumes  of  tales  and 
novels  which  he  now  pitched  out  to  us  as  the 
result  of  his  efforts,  were  most  welcome  access- 
ions to  our  email  stock  of  amusements,  and  we 


A     CRUISE     IN     A     WHALEBOAT.          241 

whiled  away  many  pleasant  hours  in  their  peru- 
sal, and  in  talking  over  the  characters  found  io 
them. 

"  On  the  second  day  after  our  departure,  a  coun- 
cil was  held  to  determine  what  course  should  bo 
pursued,  should  we  fall  in  with  vessels.  After  due 
consideration,  it  was  decided  that  should  we  see  a 
ship  under  sail,  it  would  be  prudent  to  keep  out 
of  reach,  unless  she  were  clearly  a  merchant  ves- 
sel, when,  if  it  was  desirable,  we  might  ask  them 
to  take  us  on  board.  Of  the  native  boats  and 
Arab  coasters,  we  vot^d  ourselves  not  afraid.  We 
could  at  any  time  escape  from  such  by  means  of 
our  oars,  and  thought  our  six  selves,  armed  with 
the  irons  and  lances  which  the  boat  contained,  a 
full  match  for  any  reasonable  number  of  Arabs. 

"  Our  dead  reckoning  and  observations  proved 
that  in  the  first  thr  e  days  out  we  made  one  hun- 
dred miles  per  day,  which,  although  not  a  very 
fine  run  for  a  large  vessel,  was  exceedingly  good 
progress  for  a  whaleboat.  At  this  rate,  we  should 
not  be  more  than  eight  or  ten  days  under  way. 
But  the  fourth  day  came  a  calm,  and  in  the  after- 
noon a  heavy  rain  squall,  which  was  very  useful 
to  us,  as  by  means  of  our  royal  we  caught  suffi- 
cient water  to  fill  up  every  vessel  we  had  in  the 
boat.  Our  biscuit  we  had  stowed  away  safely  in 
the  stern  sheets,  and  under  the  bow,  where  the 
rain  could  not  injure  them. 

"  We  were  now  prepared  to  make  the  entire  trip 
without  touching  at  any  intermediate  point,  * 
16 


242  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

circumstance  of  which  we  were  very  glad,  inasmuch 
as  it  would  have  occupied  valuable  time  to  search 
about  for  water,  as  well  as  exposed  us  to  an  attack 
from  the  natives.  As  we  became  more  and  more 
at  home  in  the  boat,  we  grew  bolder,  and  stood 
out  from  shore  further.  The  weather  remained 
delightful,  and  we  now  sailed  just  in  view  of  the 
highest  points  of  the  land  we  were  passing. 

"  On  the  fifth  day,  we  knew  by  the  sharp  east- 
erly curve  the  land  took,  that  we  were  approaching 
the  point  where  we  would  stand  across.  By  the 
quadrant,  we  could  ascertain  the  correct  latitude 
each  day  at  noon,  and  thus  make  sure  that  we  did 
not  overshoot  the  mark. 

"  *  As  for  longitude,'  said  Long  Tom,  l  we  can't 
miss  it :  once  get  in  the  right  latitude  and  sail  due 
east,  and  you  will  run  against  the  town,  if  it  is 
not  sunk.' 

"  On  the  eighth  day,  our  navigators  announced 
that  we  were  now  at  that  point  of  our  journey 
where  we  must  stand  east.  "We  had  been  sailing 
east  southeast  some  days,  and  the  change  in  course 
was  not  therefore  so  great. 

"  '  Look  your  last  on  Madagascar,  boys ;  I  don't 
believe  any  of  you  want  to  soe  the  wretched  hole 
again,'  was  the  word  of  our  chief,  as  he  laid  the 
boat  off  shore. 

"  We  watched  the  receding  hills  without  regret, 
for  they  were  connected  in  our  minds  with  two 
long  years  of  toil  and  drudgery,  for  which  we 
were  never  to  receive  any  recompense? 


A     CRUISE     IN     A     WHALEBOAT.          243 

"  Our  passage  was  a  pleasant  one,  and  we  were 
BO  fortunate  as  to  miss  the  port  by  only  about 
twenty  miles,  which  we  soon  retrieved  when  Long 
Tom  had  gotten  a  correct  observation,  and  deter- 
mined on  which  side,  north  or  south  of  the  place 
we  had  gotten.  As  we  neared  our  haven,  the 
question  was,  how  should  we  present  ourselves, 
what  yarn  were  we  to  spin  to  the  Portuguese, 
and  how  account  for  our  possession  of  the  boat. 

"  *  For,'  remarked  Long  Tom,  who  had  gotten 
to  be  our  oracle  by  this  time,  '  people  don't  com- 
monly navigate  the  ocean  in  whaleboats,  and  1 
dare  say,  we'll  be  looked  upon  as  rather  remark- 
able specimens  of  humanity,  in  this  out  of  the  way 
corner  of  the  world.' 

"  '  They  are  Portuguese,'  said  one,  c  and  won't 
ask  many  questions.' 

"  '  No,  but  they  may  put  us  in  their  dirty  cala- 
boose, and  poison  us  with  garlic,  in  order  to  get 
possession  of  the  boat.' 

"  Long  Tom,  who  was  always  listened  to  with 
attention,  now  proposed  to  sail  boldly  in,  and  if 
asked  our  business,  and  where  we  were  from,  state 
that  we  were  lost  from  a  whaleship  cruising  on  the 
coast.  We  should  undoubtedly  gain  time  thus  to 
look  about  us,  and  for  the  balance  of  our  talk,  let 
it  be  as  little  as  possible. 

"  <  And  as  I  am  the  only  one  of  you  that  under- 
stands  Portuguese,  I  don't  believe  you  will  com 
mit  yourselves.' 

"  We  made  the  harbor  about  ten  o'clock,  on  the 


244  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

fifteenth  morning  after  our  departure  from  the 
ship.  As  we  sailed  in  toward  what  seemed  to  be 
a  landing  on  one  of  the  islands  in  the  Bay,  we 
passed  a  long,  rakish  looking  brig,  the  officers 
of  which  hailed  us,  and  after  hearing  our  story 
from  Long  Tom,  asked  us  to  come  alongside.  She 
was  a  trader,  bound  to  Goa,  and  had  lost  her  hands 
on  the  coast.  After  some  hesitation,  we  agreed 
with  the  captain  to  go  in  her  as  far  as  Goa,  there 
to  be  regularly  discharged.  The  whaleboat  we 
sold  to  a  rich  old  Portuguese,  dividing  the  spoils, 
which  amounted  to  nearly  one  hundred  dollars. 

"  '  That's  all  you'll  ever  get  for  .your  two  years 
hard  work,  boys,  so  make  the  most  of  it,'  said 
Long  Tom,  as  we  shared  it  equally  among  us. 
We  ail  went  to  Goa,  and  thence  Long  Tom  and  I 
sailed  for  Pondicherry.  But  that's  altogether  an- 
other yarn,  which  I  can't  spin  to-night." 

If  the  reatler  will  pardon  this  long  digression, 
we  will  now  return  to  the  subject  which  caused 
it — deserting  from  whaleships.  The  most  desper- 
ate expedients  are  sometimes  adopted  to  get  clear 
of  an  unlucky  or  unpleasant  vessel.  Thus  it  is 
on  record  that  the  greater  part  of  a  whaleship's 
crew  once  drifted  on  shore  on  the  cover  of  the  try- 
works,  which  they  had  launched  overboard  for 
>hat  purpose.  This  cover  is  large,  square  and  flat, 
with  sides  about  one  foot  deep. 

While  we  were  cruising  in  the  Pacific,  in  the 
United  Spates  service,  a  more  desperate  case  than 
even  this  occurred  at  Honolulu.  A  man  who  had 


WHALING     LIFE.  246 

vainly  tried  to  desert  from  his  vessel,  having  been 
several  times  retaken  when  making  the  attempt, 
deliberately  laid  his  left  wrist  on  a  chopping 
block  and  cut  off  the  hand,  exclai%ming  as  he  did 
so,  "  Now  you'll  have  to  let  me  go." 

There  is  but  little  done  by  the  officers  to  make 
the  life  of  the  crew  of  a  whaleship  pleasant.  OQ 
the  cruising  ground  there  is  nothing  to  do.  This 
adds  another  misery  to  the  already  sufficiently 
wretched  existence  of  the  whalemen,  and  thus 
makes  it  entirely  unbearable.  To  be  cruising 
about,  far  at  sea,  is  monotonous  enough,  even  if, 
as  in  the  merchant  vessel,  the  daily  routine  of  labor 
is  so  arranged  as  to  keep  both  hands  and  minds  of 
the  seamen  employed.  But  when,  as  in  the  whale- 
ship,  no  attempt  is  made  to  relieve  the  tedium  of 
the  voyage,  no  expedient  devised  for  making  the 
time  pass  more  lightly  and  pleasantly,  a  single 
cruise  of  six  or  eight  months  generally  infuses 
into  the  new  hands  a  strong  desire  to  make  their 
escape  from  the  vessel.  Thus  it  was  with  our 
crew. 


246  WHALING    AND    f  I  S  R  I  »  ft 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

»  LIBERTY  "—The  Massowah  Vessel— She  wants  a  Hand— I  go 
alongside— The  Vessel  is  "searched— We  sail— The  trip  to  the 
Mauritius— The  Crew— The  Captain— Discipline— The  Land 
— Port  Louis  Harbor — I  gain  an  unexpected  Friend — I  take 
charge  of  the  Captain's  "Boat — A  trip  to  Tombo  Bay — Paul 
and  Virginia— The  Island— Its  state  under  the  French— 
Under  British  rule — Malabar  Apprentices — Malabar  Town— 
The  Natives— Chinese. 

To  return  to  our  own  ship.  On  the  fourth  day 
after  our  arrival  in  port  we  were  allowed  a  run 
ashore.  No  one  of  the  crew  but  myself  was  the 
possessor  of  a  cent  of  money.  But  all  had  what 
is  called  "  trade,"  such  as  calico,  tobacco,  beads, 
etc.,  which  they  could  here  readily  barter  for  such 
purchases  as  they  desired  to  make. 

When  we  first  anchored  in  the  harbor,  1  noticed 
a  large  vessel  with  French  colors  flying,  also  at 
anchor.  On  inquiry,  one  of  the  natives  informed 
ne  she  was  from  Massowah,  and  had  on  board  a 
sargo  of  horses.  She  hailed  from  Bourbon,  but  I 
was  told  was  now  bound  to  the  Isle  of  Franco. 
She  was  to  sail  in  a  very  few  days,  and  I  deter- 
mined to  make  an  effort  to  sail  in  her,  as  this 
seemed  to  me  the  surest  chance  for  effecting  my 


I     PREPARE     TO    LEAVE.  247 

escape  from  bondage.  During  my  ramble  about 
the  shore,  and  while  considering  as  to  the  best 
method  of  getting  on  board  to  ask  the  captain  for 
a  passage,  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  him.  A 
native  of  whom  I  had  asked  some  particulars  con- 
cerning the  vessel,  pointed  him  out  to  me.  I  a 
once  addressed  him,  stating  my  wishes,  and  also 
the  fact  that  I  was  a  merchant  sailor,  and  would 
endeavor  to  make  myself  of  use  to  him. 

He  answered  me  in  tolerable  English,  that  he 
wanted  a  hand,  but  that  he  feared  I  would  not 
care  to  come  with  him,  when  I  once  knew  the 
manner  in  which  his  crew  lived. 

"  We  are  used  to  our  country  fashion  of  having 
only  two  meals  per  day ;  and  bread  is  something 
entirely  unknown  to  us." 

I  answered,  that  I  thought  myself  able  to  sub- 
sist on  that  which  supported  life  in  others,  and 
would  be  very  glad  of  a  chance  to  try  it  at  any 
rate. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  we  shall  sail  to-night,  and  if 
you  can  get  aboard  during  the  night  I  will  take 
you  with  me,  although  I  fear  I  shall  get  myself  in 
trouble  with  your  captain  by  it." 

Much  rejoiced  at  my  unexpected  success,  I  re- 
turned on  board  about  noon  to  get  my  dinner,  and 
took  that  occasion  to  put  on  two  suits  of  clothing, 
and  place  my  peajacket  and  some  other  little  arti- 
cles in  a  bundle,  and  with  this,  as  trade,  had  nrjr 
self  set  ashors  again,  determining  to  sttty,  and  go 


248  WHALING     AND    FISHING. 

off  to  the  "Hercule  " — that  was  the  French  barquo'i 
name — in  a  native  boat  during  the  night. 

In  the  course  of  the  afEernoon  I  engaged  a  na- 
tive, who  for  three  dollars,  more  than  half  my 
fortune,  which  consisted  at  that  time  of  five  Mex- 
can  pesos,  engaged  to  convey  me  on  board  at  any 
time  during  the  night.  Thinking  that  after  sell- 
ing himself  to  me,  he  might,  in  hopes  of  a  better 
price,  betray  me  to  the  captain,  I  inserted  a  clause 
in  our  agreement,  by  which  he  was  to  remain  with 
me  until  the  time  arrived  to  go  on  board,  and  to 
provide  me  until  then  with  a  shelter.  We  accord- 
ingly walked  to  the  outskirts  of  the  little  town, 
where  my  man  had  a  rude  hut  under  shade  of 
some  banana  bushes.  Here  we  lay  down  to  await 
the  time  when  the  click  of  the  windlass  should 
tell  me  that  the  barque  was  getting  under  way. 

The  weary  hours  passed  slowly  by.  I  'thought 
the  surf  was  never  going  to  set,  and  when  it  be- 
came dark,  the  suspense  was  yet  more  disagreea- 
bly prolonged  by  the  close  watch  necessary  to  be 
kept  upon  the  ship,  lest  she  should  be  undei  way 
before  we  were  aware  of  it.  At  last,  about  twelve 
o'clock,  we  heard  the  windlass,  and  in  a  moment 
after  saw  the  foretopsail  drop.  Running  hastily 
down  to  the  shore,  we  jumped  into  a  canoe  and 
paddled  off  at  full  speed. 

"  There's  a  pirogue  from  your  ship,  master,''  said 
my  boatman,  when  we  were  about  midway  be- 
tween the  shore  and  the  barque. 


AN     ESCAPE.  241 

Sure  enough,  we  coul.i  just  discern  throdgfc.  the 
darkness  one  of  our  boats,  apparently  about  to 
board  the  barque.  I  thought  for  a  moment  tha/, 
my  hopes  were  nipped  in  the  bud  ;  but  after  lying 
utill  for  a  few  minutes,  I  told  the  fellow  to  pad 
die  on. 

We  will  go  alongside  on  the  other  side,  thought 
I,  c«nd  remain  there  until  our  boat  leaves,  when  I 
can  get  on  board  in  safety. 

When  we  got  alongside,  I  could  hear  the  voice 
of  our  mate  talking  to  the  captain,  who  denied 
stoutly  that  I  was  on  board. 

"  You  can  take  lanterns  and  search  the  hold, 
sir,"  said  he  to  the  mate,  as  that  worthy  still 
seemed  unconvinced. 

Lanterns  were  accordingly  produced,  and  while 
I  lay  concealed  in  the  canoe  under  the  quarter, 
the  mate,  accompanied  by  some  of  the  crew, 
walked  through  the  half  empty  hold,  (she  was 
partly  in  ballast),  closely  examining  every  nook 
and  cranny,  sounding  the  water  casks,  turning 
over  spare  rigging,  and  looking  among  the  horses. 
The  search  was  vain,  and  with  sundry  curses,  and 
threats  as  to  what  would  befall  me  were  I  caught, 
the  mate  at  length  descended  into  his  boat,  and 
with  joy  I  heard  them  pulling  off  toward  the  ship. 
Orders  were  now  given,  in  French,  to  man  the 
windlass  and  heave  up  the  anchor.  I  waited  till 
the  ship  was  fairly  under  way,  before  I  climbed 
1.)  the  aeck.  There  the  captain  received  mot 


850  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

assuring  me  that  had  I  come  on  board  sooner,  I 
would  certainly  have  been  caught. 

With  a  light  heart  I  bounded  to  the  masthead 
to  loose  the  topgallant  and  royal,  and  in  a  verj 
short  time  we  were  out  of  the  harbor — and  I  was 
once  more  a  free  man.  For  the  state  of  subjec- 
tion in  which  men  are  kept  on  a  whaleship,  when 
conti  med  for  such  a  length  of  time,  becomes 
nothi  ig  less  than  the  most  abject  slavery. 

After  the  anchors  were  secured  and  all  made 
ready  for  sea,  I  wrapped  myself  up  in  my  pea- 
jacket,  and  stowing  myself  snugly  away  under 
the  weather  -  bulwark  slept  till  daylight.  On 
waking  up,  I  took  the  wheel,  and  steered  from 
that  time  till  eight  o'clock.  During  this  time  the 
captain  explained  to  me  the  internal  economy  of 
the  vessel,  which  was  certainly  new  to  me.  The 
crew,  numbering  fifteen,  were  of  all  shades  of 
black,  from  charcoal  to  dark  brown.  They  were 
natives  of  the  Mauritius  or  the  Seychelles,  and 
were  not  sailors,  but  simply  rope-haulers  and  horse- 
tenders.  They  received  ten  dollars  per  month, 
and  for  this  kept  watch  at  night,  made  and  took 
in  sail,  steered  the  vessel,  and  tended  the  wants 
of  the  cargo  of  horses  which  was  now  on  board. 
If  the  rigging  required  repairs,  the  mates  were 
obliged  to  do  this  themselves,  and  as  for  sail-mend- 
ing, about  that  even  they  knew  but  little. 

The  crew  slept  upon  deck,  each  man  having  a 
mat  and  a  jacket,  the  mild  air  rendering  other 


BANIAN.  251 

covering  unnecessary.  They  were  allowed  two 
meals  per  day,  the  first  at  nine  o'cicn  k,  consisting 
of  a  mxiicum  of  boiled  rice  with  a  little  wretched 
cocoa ;  the  second  at  three  o'clock,  consisting  of 
another  portion  of  rice,  and  a  small  piece  of  salt 
beef.  Neither  bread  njr  any  other  preparation 
of  flour  was  known  on  board,  not  even  in  the 
cabin. 

No  one  who  has  not  experienced  it,  can  know 
how  exceedingly  difficult  it  is  for  one  used  to  a 
civilized  diet,  to  make  a  satisfactory  meal  without 
bread.  It  was  a  hard  school  for  me,  here.  But 
hunger  makes  a  sauce  for  every  food,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  I  could  relish  my  dinner  or  break- 
fast of  boiled  rice  as  well  as  any  one  of  those  who 
were  bred  to  it.  Of  course  on  such  slight  diet 
men  do  not  work  very  energetically.  Our  crew 
were  as  lazy  a  set  as  ever  lived,  and  their  diurnal 
task  of  feeding  and  watering  the  horses  was  spun 
out  to  last  nearly  the  entire  day. 

For  two  days  I  took  share  in  this  labor.  By 
this  time,  however,  the  captain,  who  had  seen 
some  sail-maker's  tools  in  my  little  bundle,  and 
had  ascertained  that  I  could  work  with  the  needle, 
found  some  sail-mending  for  me  to  do,  and  hence- 
forth my  work  was  under  the  quarter  deck  awn- 
ing, patching  up  old  royals  and  top-gallant- saila, 
flying  jibs  and  studding  sails.  I  soon  learned 
sufficient  of  the  mongrel  French  spoken  on  board 
to  make  my  wishes  known,  and  understand  or 
dcrs,  and  wher  my  rebellio  is  stomach  was  onco 


25?  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

reconciled  to  the  strange  diet,  I  had  a  not  uncom- 
fortable place  on  board.  The  only  thing  against 
me  was  my  color.  To  my  misfortune  I  was  the 
whitest  man  on  board,  and  with  the  exception  of 
the  captain  and  chief  mate,  the  only  one  who  \vas 
purely  white.  This  caused  me  to  be  looked  down 
upon  by  my  black  friends,  who,  when  I  would 
commit  any  little  extravagance,  such  as  making 
myself  a  wooden  spoon  wherewith  to  eat  my  rice, 
(they  used  their  fingers,  in  the  Adamic  style) ,  or 
washing  my  hands  and  face  at  the  close  of  a  day's 
work,  shrugged  their  shoulders  in  pitying  con- 
tempt, and  declared  that  nothing  better  was  to  be 
expected  from  a  man  of  my  color.  Nevertheless, 
as  they  found  me  ready  to  take  my  share  of  what- 
ever work  was  going  on,  and  always  disposed  to 
converse  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  they  voted  me 
in  the  main  a  good  fellow,  much  better  than  the 
common  run  of  white  folks.  And  as  I  entertained 
mj  own  opinion  as  to  their  merits,  I  could  afford 
to  be  amused  at  their  ideas  of  me. 

My  ignorance  of  their  barbarous  jargon  seemed 
to  them,  however,  the  oddest  of  my  peculiarities, 
and  they  could  never  laugh  enough  at  my  nr's- 
takes.  I  had  long  ago  learned  the  propriety  in 
such  cases,  of  laughing  with  the  crowd,  and  prac- 
ticed largely  upon  this  theory  now  ;  not,  however, 
without  an  occasional  internal  malediction  on  the 
gtapidity  of  these  fellows,  who  could  so  easily 
ignore  all  knowledge  not  possessed  by  themselves 
With  the  captain  1  was  shortly  a  favorite, 


CAPTAIN     LEPELLETIER.  253 

inasmuch  as  I  was  of  service  to  him  in  vari- 
ous particulars  where  his  natives  were  useless. 
He  spoke  to  me  often  of  his  voyages,  and  of  the 
life — a  very  lazy  one  it  was,  too — which  he  led, 
and  in  which  he  delighted.  He  was  a  man  of 
some  means,  had  a  plantation  in  the  Mauritius, 
where  he  managed  to  have  a  little  sugar  raised; 
owned  the  vessel  of  which  he  was  now  master, 
and  made  in  her  generally  a  voyage  each  yeai  to 
Massowah,  or  some  other  of  the  ports  on  the  Bed 
Sea,  for  horses,  and  a  trip  or  two  to  Madagascar 
for  cattle,  making  long  stays  on  shore  between 
these  trips,  and  evidently  enjoying  his  family  life 
very  highly.  He  was  forty-five  years  of  age, 
tall,  portly,  gray  haired  and  good  natured,  and 
prided  himself  much  on  his  purely  French  extrac- 
tion, and  his  name,  Lepelletier,  which  he  main- 
tained occupied  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  annals 
of  la  belle  France.  As  in  duty  bound,  he  despised 
Johnny  Bull,  and  thought  that  the  greatest  calamity 
which  ever  befell  his  native  isle,  was  its  com- 
ing into  the  possession  of  the  British.  Every- 
thing, he  complained,  was  now  taxed.  The  slave 
trade  and  slavery  was  abolished,  but  the  wretched 
Hindoos  who  were  yearly  brought  thither  under 
the  name  of  free  laborers,  were  in  a  far  more 
abject  condition  of  slavery  than  ever  were  the 
Madagassy  who  were  formerly  held  in  an  easy 
bondage  under  the  French. 

"In  former  times  there   was  some  blood  and 
dome  good  society  to  be  found  in  Port  Louis ;  but 


254  WHAL     KG    AND     FISHING. 

DOW  the  shop  keepers,  a  wretched  set,  had  the 
sway,  and  the  Acadian  simplicity  of  the  French 
regime  was  gone." 

He  spoke  tolerable  English  himself,  but  would 
not  be  complimented  upon  it,  and  strongly  advised 
me  to  learn  French,  as  the  only  language  fit  to  be 
spoken  by  honest  men. 

I  delighted  much  in  his  talk ;  and  his  descriptions 
of  the  indolent  easy  life  which  was  formerly  the 
fashion  among  the  French  planters  and  residents, 
were  charming  to  me,  who  have  myself  a  keen 
appreciation  for  "  a  bit  of  the  dolcc."  On  board 
his  ship,  where  he  was  Lord  Paramount,  all  lived 
in  this  indolent,  half  dreamy  state.  To  brace 
the  yards  or  pull  home  a  sheet  was  a  labor 
requiring  much  deliberation.  Half  an  hour  gen- 
erally elapsed  between  any  order  and  its  fulfill- 
ment ;  and  no  work  not  absolutely  necessary  was 
ever  attempted.  Studding  sails  were  held  as 
abominations,  fit  only  for  a  restless  hurrying  Jean 
Bull,  and  even  royals  were  not  looked  upon  with 
favor. 

I,  who  had  been  trained  in  the  hardworking 
merchant  service,  would  have  labored  from  eight 
till  six,  on  my  sails ;  but  this  was  not  suffered.  S~x 
hours  per  day  was  quite  sufficient  to  woik,  and 
even  this  time  was  in  great  part  wasted  in  loung- 
ing and  conversation :  so  that  ere  long  I  had  got 
to  be  as  inveterate  an  idler  as  any  one  on  board. 
This  kind  of  life  would  of  course  be  impossible 
any  where  but  in  the  tropics.  Here  however,  the 


RETROSPECTIVE.  1558 

climate,  an  eternal  spring,  enervates  the  most 
robust  and  active,  and  with  its  gentle  breezes  and 
beauteous  skies,  brings  one  into  a  half  dreamy 
languor  which  is  delicious.  After  I  had  ceased  to 
long  for  bread,  and  my  stomach  became  reconciled 
to  boiled  rice  instead,  I  enjoyed  the  life  exceed- 
ingly, and  was  not  long  in  forming  a  resolution  to 
make  these  latitudes  my  cruising  ground,  and  in 
case  I  found  it  comfortable,  the  Mauritius  my 
home. 

I  was  now  approaching  the  Island  under  cir- 
cumstances very  different  from  those  in  which  I 
had  visited  it  before.  Then  it  was  in  an  English 
ship,  and  as  a  British  sailor,  with  all  the  helpless 
misery  of  a  British  tar  cast  ashore  in  a  foreign 
port,  where  ships  and  victuals  are  alike  scarce. 
Now,  I  had  at  length  gotten  into  a  French  vessel, 
and  among  those  who  were  natives  of  the  place. 
And  although,  pecuniarily,  I  was  worse  off  than 
before,  I  cherished  a  hope  that  the  native  vessels 
would  be  henceforth  open  to  me,  and  reveled 
once  more,  in  anticipation,  in  the  glorious  voyages 
to  the  out  of  the  way  nooks  and  corners  of  this 
part  of  the  earth,  which  I  should  here  have  the 
opportunity  to  make. 

Meantime  we  were  slowly  sailing  on  toward  our 
destined  port.  As  the  wind  was  steadily  ahead, 
we  had  taken  a  long  stretch  to  the  East,  and  were 
now  on  the  landward  tack.  After  a  forty  days 
passage  the  high  peaks  of  the  Isle  of  France  at 
length  hove  in  sight  in  the  blue  distance ;  and  twt 


256  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

days  sailing  through  water  more  limpid,  and 
a  sky  more  clear,  and  breezes  more  genial  and 
soft  than  even  those  which  had  been  vouchsafed 
ns  during  the  passage,  brought  us  to  the  narrow 
mouth  of  Port  Louis  harbor. 

Who  shall  attempt  to  describe  the  glories  of  $ 
landfall  in  the  tropics?  My  pen  is  not  adequate  to 
a  delineation  of  the  beauteous  boldness  with  which 
the  outlines  of  the  volcanic  peaks  are  thrown  in 
deep,  deep  blue  against  the  distant  horizon,  or  the 
glorious  golden  effulgence  in  which  they  are  envel- 
oped as  the  sun  sets  behind  them.  And  who  can 
do  justice  to  the  serene  purity  of  the  air ;  its  genial 
mildness  both  night  and  day ;  the  absence  of  harsh- 
ness in  every  movement  of  the  sea,  as  it  sweeps  in 
peaceful  undulations  toward  the  setting  sun  ? 

The  breeze  which  fans  the  dreamer's  brow  comes 
as  though  some  one  laid  his  hand  in  kindness  there. 
The  waves  which  break  under  the  bow,  break 
softly.  The  spray  which  ever  and  anon  falls  upon 
deck,  falls  in  refreshing  showers.  The  wind  which 
fills  the  sails  blows  gently;  and  the  very  ship  seems, 
in  unison  with  the  scene,  to  glide  along  over  the 
waves,  no  longer  meeting  and  cleaving  the  waters 
with  the  stubborn  shock  of  enemies  in  battle,  but 
parting  them  asunder  softly,  as  some  good  natured 
giant  would  make  his  way  through  a  crowd  of 
little  children.  The  sabbath  stillness  is  broken 
only  by  the  harsh  scream  of  the  tropic  bird  as  on 
snow  white  wing  he  sweeps  past,  landward,  of 
darts  beneath  the  wave  in  search  of  prey. 


PORT     LOUIS     HARBOR.  257 

And  now  scarce  has  the  last  golden  ray  of  the 
departing  sun  gone  down  behind  the  distant  moun- 
tain tops,  when  night  conceals  the  scene  as  with  a 
huge  black  cloth,  through  which  shine  myriads  of 
brilliant  stars,  brighter  by  far  than  ever  rejoiced 
the  vision  of  him  who  dwells  in  northern  lands 
'•'  The  eyes  of  God,"  whispered  the  mate  to  me,  at) 
I  reclined  upon  the  forecastle  in  silent  contempla- 
tion of  the  change. 

The  entrance  of  Port  Louis  harbor  is  quite  nar- 
row, the  ship  channel  being  scarcely  wide  enough 
to  sail  up  with  a  iair  wind.  And  as  the  prevail- 
ing wind  blows  out  of  the  harbor's  mouth,  steam- 
digs  have  been  found  necessary  to  tow  vessels  in. 
At  early  daylight  one  of  these  little  boats,  there 
fore,  took  us  in  tow,  and  we  glided  rapidly  up 
through  tiers  of  large  vessels  securely  moored 
head  and  stern,  and  with  their  top-hamper  on  deck, 
to  present  as  little  resistance  as  might  be  to  the 
hurricane  winds  which  occasionally  sweep  this 
latitude. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  harbor  a  basin,  known 
as  the  canal,  has  been  built  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  small  traders  and  bullock  droghers ; 
and  among  these  we  now  anchored,  sending  our 
utein  moorings  ashore  by  large  mooring  boats, 
.vhich  are  held  in  readiness  for  this  service  by  .ae 
captain  of  the  port. 

Once  moored,  the  topgallant  and  royal  yards 
find  masts  were  sent  upon  deck  and  the  topmast* 
17 


258  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

and  topsail-yards  made  ready  for  a  speedy  descent 
Then  the  hands  had  time  to  greet  old  friends 
who  were  fast  crowding  alongside  or  standing 
upon  the  shore  waving  handkerchiefs,  and  hailing 
in  barbarous  French.  Had  we  now  had  English 
01  American  officers,  but  little  time  would  have 
been  lost  in  such  pleasures.  Preparations  would 
have  been  instantly  begun  for  sending  our  cargo 
ashore.  But  here  the  balance  of  the  day  was 
given  for  communion  with  friends,  and  to-morrow 
was  declared  time  enough  to  begin  work. 

I  alone  had  no  friends  to  greet  me,  no  one  to 
rejoice  in  my  return,  no  heart  to  beat  quicker  at 
sight  of  my  bronzed  face,  by  this  time  of  nearly 
as  dark  a  hue  as  many  of  my  shipmates.  And  as 
joyful  faces  showed  themselves  over  the  gangway, 
and  supplies  of  fruit  from  the  shore  proved  the 
heartiness  of  the  welcome  which  kind  friends 
were  giving  the  returned  voyagers,  I  began  in  the 
selfishness  of  my  heart  mentally  to  find  fault  with 
all  about  me,  and  more  than  half  wished  I  had 
not  come  to  Port  Louis. 

But  I  was  not  doomed  to  remain  friendless. 
As  I  sat  apart,  upon  the  topgallant  forecastle, 
feeling,  and  I  dare  say  looking  very  dreary,  a 
brown  Hebe  approaching  me,  inquired,  in  bro- 
ken English,  "  You  got  no  friends,  Jack  ?  " 

"  Kot  a  friend,"  said  I,  in  a  gruff  tone,  as  noi 
thinking  it  desirable  to  have  my  loneliness  com 
menled  upon  by  strangers.  Watching  rae  rathf 


ANGELIQUE.  259 

dubiously  for  a.  noment,  she  held  out  her  band, 
and  said  in  a  voice  full  of  serious  kindness,  "  Well, 
I  be  your  friend,  Jack." 

I  did  not  put  my  arms  round  her  neck  and  ki»» 
her,  as  I  should  have  done  had  I  followed  tke  im- 
pulse of  my  heart.  But  I  thanked  her  deeply  for 
all  the  sympathy  which  was  expressed  in  her  sim- 
ple words,  and  in  her  yet  more  child-like  counte- 
nance. Hailing  a  boatman  who  was  standing  at 
the  gangway,  she  bade  him  bring  to  us  some 
fruit  which  she  had  in  his  boat,  and  over  this  and 
my  dinner  of  boiled  rice,  Angelique  and  I  sealed 
a  friendship  which  lasted  during  my  seven  month's 
stay  upon  the  island. 

She  had  come  on  board  to  see  her  brother,  who 
had  sailed  as  carpenter  of  the  vessel  six  months 
before.  He  had  been  drowned  on  the  outward 
passage ;  to  which  untoward  accident  I  owed  my 
ready  acceptance  by  the  captain,  at  Mahe*,  as  well 
as,  I  suppose,  the  sudden  friendship  Angelique  had 
contracted  for  myself. 

"  Poor  Charles,"  said  she,  while  tears  filled  hor 
eyes,  "  somebody  else  will  feel  as  sorry  as  I  do, 
when  she  hears  of  his  death.  But  Marie  will  not 
be  long  away  from  him." 

She  was  oveijoyed  when  she  learned  that  my 
name  was  also  Charles,  and  in  the  simplicity  of 
her  heart  at  once  pronounced  our  meeting  Provi- 
dential. While  we  were  yet  talking — she  eagerly 
laying  out  plans  for  my  stay  on  shore,  as  though 
we  had  known  each  other  for  years — the  captain 


260  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

approached.  He  knew  her,  and  had  been  the  first 
to  inform  her  of  her  brother's  death.  He  smiled 
as  ho  listened  to  her  prattle,  but  entered  heartily 
aU  her  plans,  and  at  once  promised  that  if  I 
j?OJLld  stay  on  shore  he  would  give  me  employ- 
ment, for  a  time,  in  sailing  a  boat  between  the 
town  and  his  plantation,  which  was  situated  on  a 
neighboring  bay.  This  proposal  met  my  views., 
and  I  hastened  to  express  my  gratification.  It 
was  therefore  arranged  that  I  should  remain  on 
board  till  the  cargo  was  discharged,  and  then  take 
up  my  residence  ashore  in  a  small  cabin  belonging 
to  the  captain. 

Having  arranged  these  matters  to  our  mutual 
satisfaction,  she  returned  on  shore  to  condole  with 
Marie  on  their  mutual  loss,  while  I  spent  the  bal- 
ance of  the  day  in  the  re-perusal  of  Bernandin  St. 
Pierre's  delightful  story  of  Paul  and  Virginia,  the 
scene  of  which,  he  who  has  read  it  will  remember, 
is  laid  in  the  Isle  of  France  ;  Tombo  Bay,  wherf 
Virginia,  on  her  return  from  France,  was  ship- 
wrecked, being,  singularly  enough,  the  locality  of 
my  captain's  plantation. 

On  the  morrow  we  commenced  discharging  our 
cargo  of  horses.  They  were  noble  little  ponies, 
but  rather  wasted  from  a  long  passage  in  our  ill- 
veixtilated  lower  deck.  They  were  hoisted  out  by 
a  strap  fastened  about  their  middle,  and  being 
becurely  haltered,  were  made  to  swim  ashore,  a 
boat  going  with  each  to  support  and  guide  it. 
Arrived  once  more  on  dry  land,  the  grateful 


PAID   OFF.  261 

Animals  scarce  j  knew  how  sufficiently  to  express 
their  joy.  They  capered  and  caracoled,  neighed, 
and  rolled  upon  the  ground,  in  the  exuberance  of 
their  joy.  I  was  told  they  were  of  the  Arabiar 
breed,  although  they  were  brought  from  *  he  Aby 
sinian  side  of  the  Eed  Sea.  They  were  fine, 
plump,  lithe,  and  exceedingly  high-spirited,  as  3 
had  occasion  to  notice  when  they  had  again  lecov- 
ered  their  strength  and  flesh. 

Horses  are  not  raised  on  the  Island,  but  are 
brought -hither  from  various  parts  of  the  East, 
principally  from  the  ports  on  the  Eed  Sea. 
Neither  is  stock  raising  pursued  as  a  business.  I 
was  told  that  the  climate  is  unfavorable  to  its  suc- 
cess. Cattle  are  brought  from  the  adjoining 
island  of  Madagascar,  and  from  the  coast  of  Africa, 
These  branches  of  trade  give  employment  to  a 
large  number  of  vessels  owned  or  sailing  from 
here. 

On  the  third  day  I  was  paid  off  by  the  captain, 
who  gave  me  forty  rupees,  ($20),  in  consideration, 
as  he  said,  of  my  having  been  very  useful  to  him. 
Arrived  on  shore,  I  was  welcomed  as  though  I  was 
an  old  resident,  and  in  a  short  time  was  estab- 
lished very  comfortably,  Angelique,  who  proved  a 
dear  good  girl,  providing  as  carefully  for  my 
wants  as  though  I  had  been  really  her  brother. 

In  a  few  days  I  was  placed  in  command  of  Cap- 
tain Lepelletier's  boat,  and  with  a  little  Malabar 
boy  as  crew  and  to  sliow  me  the  way,  we  sailed 
down  the  harbor  As  we  glided  slowly  over  the 


262  W  Hi.  LING    AND    FISHING 

smooth  waters  of  the  outer  roads,  the  steady 
breeze  scarce  filling  our  sail,  I  took  out  my  "now 
never  failing  Paul  and  Virginia,  and  with  the 
lofty  peak  called  Peter  Botta  heaving  its  giant 
head  into  the  air  before  me,  read  over  again  the 
story  of  that  fatal  shipwreck,  the  scene  of  which, 
the  bay  of  Tombs,  (Tombo  Bay),  as  it  is  still 
called,  now  lay  before  me.  The  engraving  on  the 
page  opposite  this  is  an  accurate  representation 
of  it.  Here,  when  in  the  dark,  stormy  night  Vir- 
ginia's vessel  missed  the  entrance  to  Port  Louis, 
her  captain  sought  safe  anchorage,  but  was  thrown 
upon  the  breakers.  It  was  to  me  a  realization  of 
romance.  Every  shoal  in  the  bay,  as  we  sailed 
past  it,  every  palm  tree  on  the  shore,  every  peak, 
towering  in  the  blue  distance,  all  were  part  and 
parcel  of  the  story,  the  most  charming  of  all  tales 
of  true  love. 

As  we  approached  the  landing,  the  white  mar- 
ble monument  erected  in  memory  of  the  lorers, 
and  over  their  supposed  graves,  was  seen  through 
the  green  thicket  of  bananas  and  palms.  Soon  I 
trod  a  ground  sacred  to  all  true  lovers,  and  with 
book  in  hand,  wandered  about  the  beach  endeav- 
oring to  fix  upon  the  spot  whence  Paul  leaped  into 
the  flood  to  the  rescue  uf  his  Virginia. 

I  found  that  although  my  little  Malabar  boy 
knew  but  little  about  the  localities,  the  natives 
who  had  charge  of  the  farm  had  all  the  particu- 
lars at  their  fingers'  ends.  They  were  delighted 
at  the  lively  interest  I  took  in  the  story,  ard 


TOMBO     BAY.  26d 

pointed  out  to  me  every  part  of  the  beach  01 
shore  that  was  connected  with  the  untimely  fate 
of  the  lovers.  Having  surveyed  all,  and  talked 
the  story  over  in  broken  English  on  their  part, 
and  worse  French  on  my  own,  we  adjourned  to 
the  house,  an  ancient  wooden  structure,  looking 
as  though  it  might  have  stood  there  at  the  time 
when  the  bay  first  received  its  present  name.  Here, 
while  the  Malabar  servants  of  the  farm  were  un- 
loading my  boat,  a  repast  of  delicious  pine  apples, 
mangoes  and  bananas  was  served  up  for  me,  and 
the  entertainment  finished  by  the  introduction  of 
a  huge  bowl  of  eau  sucre,  (sugar  and  water),  from 
which  each  in  turn  took  a  long  draught. 

I  wandered  about  the  rocks  on  the  shore  until 
the  turn  of  the  tide,  and  then  launching  the  boat, 
proceeded  on  my  return.  The  wind  was  light, 
and  the  tide  swept  us  some  miles  seaward  before 
we  arrived  opposite  the  harbor's  mouth.  From 
there  I  had  leisure,  as  I  reclined  under  an  awning 
in  the  boat,  to  view  and  admire  the  grand  abrupt- 
ness with  which  the  volcanic  peaks  seem  thrown 
up. 

Peter  Botta,  although  the  most  celebrated,  is 
by  no  means  the  highest  of  these  peaks.  It  ac- 
quires its  celebrity  from  its  singular  shape,  ter- 
minating at  the  top  in  a  huge  knob  or  ball,  which 
has  been  ascended  but  twice  since  the  island 
became  known  to  Europeans.  The  first  ascent  was 
made  by  a  Dutchman,  from  whom  it  derived  its 
name,  Peter  Botta.  He  was  seen  standing  on  tb« 


264  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

summit,  but  was  never  heard  of  afterward,  and 
probably  perished  in  the  descent.  The  natives 
believe  that  his  spirit  still  haunts  the  peak  and 
its  immediate  vicinity.  A  British  naval  officer 
made  the  second  and  last  ascent,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  a  company  of  seamen.  The  party  passed 
the  night  upon  the  mountain,  some  upon  the 
shoulder,  and  two  or  three  sleeping  uneasily  upon 
the  narrow  top  of  the  ball.  They  descended  the 
next  morning,  after  witnessing  a  most  glorious 
sunrise,  and  planting  the  British  flag  upon  the 
highest  point  of  the  ball,  as  a  memorial  of  their 
visit.  This  flag  and  staff  have  long  ago  been 
blown  down  by  the  hurricanes. 

Mauritius,  or  the  Isle  of  France,  (it  is  equally 
well  known  by  both  names),  was  discovered  by 
the  Portuguese,  in  1505.  The  Dutch  took  possess- 
ion of  it  in  1598.  Few  if  any  traces  of  their  gov- 
ernment or  settlement  at  present  remain,  with  the 
exception  of  the  name,  Mauritius,  which  the}' 
bestowed  upon  the  isle  in  honor  of  their  prince, 
Maurice.  It  came  under  the  French  flag  in  1721, 
and  from  that  time  till  its  capture  by  the  British, 
in  1810,  was  in  their  possession.  These  were, 
from  all  accounts,  the  best  days  of  the  island.  It 
seems  during  this  period  to  have  been  a  modern 
Arcadia,  the  abode  of  a  peaceful,  inoffensive  and 
somewhat  indolent  people,  who  tilled  the  ground 
or  "ended  their  flocks,  unambitious  of  wealth  or 
distinction,  and  unmoved  by  the  quarrels  which 
rent  the  civilized  world.  Under  the  British  rule 


THE     ISLE     OF     FRANCE.  265 

it  is  gradually  becoming  a  thriving  business 
place,  and  its  commercial  importance  is  yearly 
increasing. 

The  French  used  to  procure  their  slaves  from 
the  neighboring  island  of  Madagascar,  and  the 
present  black  natives  of  the  island  are  the  descend- 
ants of  these  slaves.  The  British  emancipated 
these,  and  as  their  descendants  will  no  longer  til) 
the  ground  of  others,  but  rather  live  contentedly 
on  their  own  little  patches  of  soil,  eking  out  a 
scanty  subsistence,  with  little  labor,  the  govern 
ment  now  annually  imports  numbers  of  Hindoos 
principally  from  the  Malabar  coast,  who  take  the 
place  of  the  former  slaves.  These  poor  people 
engage  themselves  for  five  years.  They  labor  for 
from  four  to  ten  rupees  (two  to  five  dollars)  per 
month,  and  are  treated  much  worse  than  slaves. 
In  Port  Louis,  extensive  grounds  and  buildings 
are  set  apart  for  their  lodgings  when  first  arrived. 
Here  the  planter  or  citizen  in  want  of  servants 
comes  to  engage  them.  They  are  chosen,  and 
whether  they  desire  it  or  not,  must  go  with  their 
new  masters,  on  such  terms  as  are  customarily 
given  on  the  island. 

Unused  to  the  severe  labor  which  is  exacted  of 
them  on  the  sugar  plantations  they  soon  become 
low  spirited,  and  not  unfrequently  commit  suicide. 
Great  numbers  desert  from  the  plantations  and 
conceal  themselves  among  the  mountains  or  in 
the  town.  Policemen  are  constantly  upon  the 
watch  for  these  runaways,  and  when  a  Malabar  is 


266  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

seen  on  the  streets  of  Port  Louis,  whom  a  police- 
man has  reason  to  think  a  deserter,  IK;  is  forced  to 
produce  either  his  free-papers  or  a  permit  or  leave 
of  absence  from  his  master,  and  in  default  of  both 
of  these  documents,  is  at  once  imprisoned  and 
adrertised,  in  order  that  his  master  may  claim 
him. 

On  the  plantations  the  lash  is  freely  used,  it 
having  been  found  that  without  this  the  requisite 
amount  of  labor  can  not  be  extorted  from  these 
poorly  paid,  ill  fed  and  naturally  indolent  people. 
It  will  be  easily  conceived,  that  their  condition  is 
not  therefore  any  better  than  one  of  slavery,  for 
the  time  being,  and  taking  into  consideration  the 
false  pretences  under  which  they  are  allured  to 
leave  their  native  land,  and  the  hopes  held  out  to 
them  of  being  able,  at  the  end  of  their  apprentice- 
ship,  as  it  is  called,  to  return  home  in  easy  circum- 
stances, their  condition  is  much  worse,  and  their 
treatment  a  greater  wrong  against  humanity. 

Comparatively  few  ever  return.  Many  die  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  their  term  of  labor.  Others 
engage  in  business,  numbers  of  them  keeping 
small  stores  for  the  sale  of  provisions  and  fruit? 
to  the  poorer  classes  of  their  countrymen  who  live 
In  the  city.  And  others  yet  labor  about  the  town, 
or  peddle  vegetables  and  goods  about  tfc  e  streets, 
thus  earning  a  scanty  subsistence :  part  of  which 
they  are  again  forced  to  surrender  to  the  govern- 
ment in  tho  shape  of  a  license  to  pursue  their 
calling 


THE     MALABAES,     AND     NATIVES.      267 

One  of  the  suburbs  of  Port  Louis  is  settled 
principally  by  these  people,  -who  live  contentedly 
on  their  small  means  when  they  once  regain  their 
liberty.  A  walk  through  Malabar  town  about 
sunset,  when  the  heat  of  the  day  is  relieved  by 
the  cool  evening  breezes,  will  give  one  a  much 
more  favorable  idea  of  the  Hindoos  than  will  be 
gotten  from  the  accounts  of  their  English  mas- 
ters. Here  each  family  gathers  about  the  door 
of  its  hut  and  listens  to  songs,  or  the  music  of  the 
mandolin,  the  women  talking,  the  men  silently 
smoking  their  narghilly  or  hubble-bubble.  Maid- 
ens dance  upon  the  green  sward,  and  little  naked 
children  play  about  the  doors.  All  is  a  scene  of 
quiet,  peaceful  enjoyment,  which  will  convince 
any  one  that,  indolent  as  these  people  doubtless 
are,  and  intractable  as  they  are  said  to  be  on  the 
plantation,  when  left  to  themselves  they  are  inof- 
fensive, and  have  the  elements  for  making  of  them 
good  citizens. 

The  black  natives  of  the  island  do  not  bear  so 
good  a  character.  They  are  exceedingly  lazy,  and 
much  inclined  to  rowdyism  and  thieving.  They 
are  not  numerous,  at  least  about  Port  Louis.  The 
better  class  of  them  work  as  stevedores  on  board 
the  vessels,  or  are  engaged  as  porters  and  labor- 
ers on  shore.  An  inconsiderable  number  sail  in 
the  country  vessels. 

The  Chinese,  as  mentioned  in  an  account  of  my 
first  visit  to  this  place,  are  the  most  thrifty  of 
the  lower  classes.  They  are  seldom  laborers,  but 


268  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

keep  the  groceries  and  groggeries  of  the  town  and 
have  a  keen  eye  to  all  kinds  of  trade.  Frugal, 
not  too  honest,  and  exceedingly  clannish,  they  are 
to  a  man  in  comfortable  circumstances.  It  is  » 
common  remark  in  the  Mauritius,  that  a  Chinese 
beggar  was  never  seen  there.  If  a  poor  China 
man  comes  to  the  colony,  his  countrymen  give 
him  employment,  and  place  him  above  want. 
They  do  not  intermarry  with  the  other  races,  but 
procure  for  themselves  wives  from  China. 

A  singular  story  is  told  of  their  once  entering 
lie  vault  beneath  the  bank  building  in  Port  Louis, 
by  undermining  the  street  leading  to  it.  A  large 
amount  of  bullion  was  abstracted  ere  the  plot  was 
discovered;  and  for  some  time  no  trace  could  be 
found  of  the  robbers.  The  Chinese  burying 
ground  is  below  the  barracks,  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  harbor.  Thither,  one  morning,  just  at  the 
break  of  day,  a  company  of  Celestials  were  seen 
conveying  a  coffin.  A  Chinese  funeral  was  noth- 
ing strange  ;  but  the  sentry  noticed  that  the  body 
seemed  to  be  remarkably  heavy,  causing  a  fre- 
quent stoppage  and  change  of  bearers. 

As  the  guard  was  relieved,  the  man  on  duly 
remarked,  jokingly,  that  a  fat  Chinaman  was  being 
taken  to  his  long  home.  To  the~  serges  it  the 
movement  seemed  suspicious,  and  he  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  the  funeral  cortege,  who  at  his  coming 
precipitately  fled,  leaving  the  suppositions  corpse 
to  its  fate.  Upon  breaking  open  the  coffin,  instead 
of  a  dead  Chinaman,  it  was  found  to  contain  the 


CHINESE. 

greater  portion  of  the  stolen  bullion,  which  was 
thus  being  conveyed  to  a  safe  resting  place. 

Besides  the  races  already  mentioned,  Port  Louis 
has  samples  of  almost  every  Asiatic,  and  many 
European  and  African  nations,  all  of  whom  find 
occupation  in  various  departments  of  its  now 
active  commerce.  This  commerce  is  mainly  in 
the  hands  of  the  English  and  the  French  Creoles. 
The  French  language  is  universally  spoken — as 
much  so  indeed  as  though  the  island  still  belonged 
to  France. 

The  merchants  mostly  have  their  dwelling  houses 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  and  many  of  them 
have  built  upon  the  sides  of  the  mountains  which 
surround  Port  Louis.  There  the  white  houses 
may  be  seen  perched  upon  abrupt  crags,  and 
peeping  through  thick  groves  of  beautiful  tref  a. 


270  WHALING    AND    FISHING 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Ceremony — A  Sailor's  Grave— I  turn  Boatman- 
Life  in  the  Isle  of  France— Seeking  Employment — Joo  Rodg- 
era  —  A  Bullock  Drogher — Tamative  Bay  —  The  place  of 
Sculls — Hump  cattle  —  Our  return  Passage  —  Taming  wild 
Cattle— Sancho— His  docility— Meeting  Ashore— Difficulty 
of  leaving  so  warm  a  Friend — A  Wedding. 

ON  the  first  Sabbath  after  I  came  ashore  I  was 
witness,  in  my  capacity  of  captain  of  a  boat,  to 
the  performance  of  a  very  touching  ceremony.  I 
had  been  informed  on  the  preceding  day,  by  Ange- 
lique,  that  she  and  certain  of  her  friends  expected 
me  to  ferry  them  across  the  harbor  to  the  city 
cemetery. 

Accordingly,  at  early  dawn  I  was  summoned, 
and  repairing,  in  company  with  my  little  Malabar 
assistant,  to  the  boat,  found  her  already  lad  en  with 
fourteen  or  fifteen  young  girls  dressed  in  puie 
white,  and  each  with  an  armfull  of  flowers.  We 
hoisted  our  sail,  and  just  as  the  sun  rose  glided 
gently  across  the  smooth  surface  of  the  bay, 
toward  the  western  headland.  Several  other 
boats,  freighted  like  mine,  were  ahead  and  astern 
of  us,  bound  on  a  like  errand  with  us.  Low, 
plaintive  songs  resounded  from  the  boats  across 


"BEING     FLOWERS.  271 

the  still  waters  of  the  bay.  The  scene  was  very 
beautiful. 

Half  an  hour's  slow  sailing  brought  us  to  the 
opposite  shore,  where  my  passengers  debarked. 
L  ae/ompanied  them  to  the  burying-ground  near 
by.  Here  the  flowers  each  had  brought  were 
strewn  over  the  graves  of  departed  relatives  and 
friends.  The  mounds  and  tombstones  were  nicely 
cleared  of  all  rubbish,  and  their  floral  offerings 
were  placed  at  the  head  and  feet. 

As  the  maidens,  in  their  white  and  flowing  dra- 
pery, glided  noiselessly  yet  cheerfully  from  grave 
to  grave,  doing  kind  offices  to  the  resting  places 
of  their  friends,  and  scattering  beautiful  flowers 
over  their  remains,  they  seemed  like  a  chorus  of 
blest  spirits  come  down  to  summon  loved  ones 
to  their  homes.  Occasionally  a  low  sob  or  wail 
from  some  mourner  for  the  recently  departed, 
would  break  upon  the  ear,  but  otherwise  all  was 
silent  as  the  graves  we  wandered  amid. 

In  looking  among  the  mounds  by  which  the 
whole  surface  of  the  old  cemetery  was  broken,  I 
came  upon  a  rude  wooden  cross,  worm  eaten  and 
weather  beaten,  fast  mingling  its  dust  with  his 
who  lay  below.  Upon  the  horizontal  piece  were 
ent  in  rude  letters,  probably  done  with  a  sailor'i 
jack-knife,  the  words, 

••  Here,  a  sheer  hulk,  lies  poor  Tom  Bowling." 

It  was  the  last  resting  place  of  some  poor 
weather-beaten  sailor  who  had  found  here,  far 


272  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

away  from  home  and  friends,  the  peace  he  had 
sought  in  vain  during  a  hard  and  perilous  life, 
He  too  was  thought  of  by  some  kind  flower  dia« 
penser.  The  dead  leaves  and  rubbish  had  been 
nicely  swept  away  from  the  sod- covered  grave, 
and  two  beautiful  flower  wreaths  lay  upon  it. 
Poor  fellow — in  all  his  lonely  seaman's  life  he  had 
possibly  never  met  with  so  much  kindness. 

On  inquiry  I  learned  that  it  was  customary 
every  Sunday  morning  thus  to  decorate  the  graves 
of  friends  and  acquaintances,  the  boatmen  of  the 
harbor  on  these  occasions  doing  volunteer  service, 
to  aid  the  undertaking. 

My  life  was  now  for  some  time  very  much  hap- 
pier than  it  had  been  for  a  long  period  past.  1 
was  free :  and  the  remembrance  of  my  slavery  on 
board  the  whaleship  was  yet  sufficiently  vivid  in 
my  mind  to  make  me  appreciate  very  keenly  the 
new  liberty.  I  was,  for  a  sailor,  pleasantly  situated. 
My  work  was  light  and  pleasant,  the  pay  regular 
and  sufficient  to  support  me ;  and  my  associates, 
if  not  very  intelligent,  were  yet  good,  and  well- 
meaning  toward  me. 

Angelique,  who  proved  a  noble  girl,  seemed  sin- 
gularly enough  to  have  bestowed  upon  me  all  the 
affection  she  had  entertained  for  her  deceased 
bi  other.  She  not  only  interested  herself  in  my 
little  affairs,  but  prevailed  upon  her  lover,  who 
was  captain  of  a  little  coasting  schooner,  to 
introduce  me  to  the  captains  of  the  French  bul- 
lock droghers,  in  order  that  I  might,  when  oiiee 


REFLECTIONS.  273 

more  ready  for  sea,  have  no  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing a  berth  on  board  a  country  ve»sel.  She  had 
resolved  that  I  should  become  a  settler  in  the 
country,  never  to  return  to  Britain  or  America. 

My  occupation  as  boatman  continued  four  weeks. 
By  this  time  I  was  able  to  make  for  myself  another 
opening.  I  entered  a  stevedore's  gang,  and  tugged 
manfully  at  sugar  bags  all  day,  content  to  return 
to  my  nicely  fitted  room  at  night,  the  richer  by 
two  rupees,  and  with  a  certainty  that  no  storm, 
however  severe,  could  disturb  my  sleep. 

But  soon  "  the  demon  of  unrest "  again  stirred 
within  me.  To  be  sure,  the  life  I  led  pleased  me 
to  a  certain  extent.  So  well,  indeed,  that  I  too 
shortly  began  to  entertain  the  idea  of  spending 
some  years,  if  not  the  balance  of  my  life,  in  the 
Mauritius  and  the  Indian  seas.  Once  in  a  while, 
however,  the  thought  would  arise,  that  I  was  not 
surrounded  by  just  such  society  as  was  most  con- 
genial to  me,  and  that  in  the  mode  of  life  I  thought 
of  adopting,  there  was  nothing  improving  or 
elevating. 

But  eight  years  at  sea  had  pretty  effectually 
scotched  any  aspirations  for  a  higher  position 
which  I  might  once  have  entertained.  Life — the 
sailor's  life,  the  only  one  of  which  I  now  had  any 
\vell  shaped  idea  —  seemed  at  best  but  a  trouble- 
some and  tiresome  struggle.  And  so  I  brought 
myself  to  think  the  vegetative  existence  of  man 
upon  an  out  of  the  way  place  like  the  Mauritius, 
at  least  better  than  a  more  toilsome  life  in  more 
IS 


274  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

civilized  parts.  .  Some  indolence,  some  hopeless- 
ness,  and  a  vehement  desire  for  once  to  enjoy  life, 
probably  brought  me  to  this  conclusion. 

And  to  this  will  come  every  one  who  takes  tc 
the  sea  for  a  livelihood.  It  is  very  well  to  th'io. 
rize  on  the  ennobling  and  elevating  character  o*  a 
perilous  life  like  that  of  the  seaman.  It  is  true, 
beyond  doubt,  that  in  those  scenes  where  he  con- 
tends with  and  overcomes  the  powers  of  nature, 
his  spirit,  let  it  be  sunk  low  as  it  will,  is  refreshed 
and  elevated.  But  the  excitement  once  over,  the 
life  is  altogether  too  commonplace,  too  void  of 
purpose  to  keep  up  a  manful  spirit.  Its  degrada- 
tion is  too  great,  its  associations  too  wretched  to 
leave  the  aspiring  soul  room  for  a  better  hope. 

And  so  the  sailor  boy  who  has  leaped  into  life 
with  a  trustful  determination  to  do  and  dare,  and 
deserve  at  least  the  good  will  of  his  fellow  men, 
emerges  into  manhood  with  all  of  good  within 
/iim,  not  killed^  but  fearfully  crushed  beneath  the 
,veight  of  evil  and  down-dragging  associations. 
And  so — I  began  to  look  for  a  ship,  content  to  do 
as  others  did,  satisfied  to  accept  the  place  appa- 
rently determined  for  me  by  fate,  and  willing  to 
make  the  best  of  it. 

Wanting  a  ship,  and  getting  one,  seem  to  te 
or.tviely  different  things  in  Port  Louis.  My 
friends  the  French  captains  were,  unfortunately 
for  me,  all  gone  on  their  voyages,  the  regular  sea- 
son  for  starting  on  a  long  trip  to  the  Ked  Sea 
having  arrived  while  I  was  still  boating.  "Work 


SEEKING     A     BERTH.  275 

was  iiO  longer  to  be  obtained  in  sufficiency  to 
make  me  contented,  and  so-,  rather  than  wait  for 
better  times,  I  essayed  to  procure  myself  a  berth 
in  some  one  of  the  British  country  ships  which 
traded  to  the  Mauritius. 

Day  after  day  I  dressed  myself  in  my  best, 
and  presented  myself  to  some  captain  or  mate 
to  ask  for  a  chance.  Day  after  day  I  walked 
the  mole,  looking  longingly  at  the  departing  ves- 
sels, and  listening  with  sinking  heart  to  the  cheer- 
ful songs  of  those  who  had  what  I  wanted — 
employment. 

To  be  sure,  there  were  ships  for  England.  But 
thither  I  would  not  now  go.  The  difficulties  in 
the  way  of  remaining  in  the  Indies  only  endeared 
the  prospect  to  me.  And  my  determination  in 
this  regard  was  now  strengthened  by  that  of  a 
friend  whom  I  had  found  on  shore ;  a  noble  fel- 
low, between  whom  and  myself  there  shortly  ex- 
isted a  bond  warmer  than  is  common  even  among 
sailors. 

Poor  Joe  Eodgers  had  already  several  years' 
experience  of  the  Indies.  He  owned  it  to  be  a 
dog's  life. 

"Hard  work,  poor  pay,  and  you  have  almost  to 
beg  for  a  ship,  when  you  once  get  adrift,  Charley," 
eaid  he  to  me.  "But  I  dare  not  return  home  as  I 
am." 

He  too  was  an  American.  He  too  had  set  out  to 
sea  with  romantic  notions  of  a  life  which  he  was 
aow  old  enough  to  view  in  all  its  cheerless,  hopelesf 


276  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

degradation.  To  return  home  was  the  strongest 
desire  of  his  hearc.  But  to  return  home  penni- 
less, after  years  of  hard  struggle — to  be  sneered 
at  by  those  wiseacres  whose  advice  he  as  a  boy 
had  scorned — to  go  back  to  his  n'ative  village  not 
only  having  done  nothing  heretofore,  but  with  the 
consciousness  that  he  was  now  worthless  for  any 
other  life  than  that  which  had  grown  to  be  a  part 
of  him — this  he  could  not  do. 

"  And  so  I  guess  we'll  have  to  rough  it  in  the 
Indies  as  long  as  we  can  stand  it,  and  when  it 
grows  unendurable,  Charley,  a  trip  to  Batavia 
will  finish  poor  Jack." 

At  first,  while  yet  the  cheerful  jingle  of  a  few 
rupees  in  our  pockets  kept  us  in  spirits,  we  could 
think  of  nothing  but  sailing  together.  But  ere 
long  it  became  evident  that  even  this  poor  plea- 
sure would  be  denied  us,  and  we  would  be  com 
pelled  to  look  for  separate  chances.  One  day  I 
boarded  a  vessel  bound  to  Arracan,  at  the  head 
of  the  bay  of  Bengal.  The  captain  wanted  a  sea- 
conny,  and  agreed  to  take  me.  There  was  no 
other  chance.  Joe  and  myself  would  have  to 
part. 

With  a  rather  heavy  heart  I  returned  to  the 
shore,  to  tell  him  of  my  questionable  luck.  The 
voyage  was  good,  but  we  did  not  want  to  part. 
We  talked  matters  over.  Joe  had  been  some 
weeks  longer  on  shore  than  I,  and  I  felt  that  to 
him  of  rigM  belonged  the  first  chance,  if  we  were 
to  be  parted .  Accordingly,  I  proposed  to  him  to 


TO     TAMATAVE.  277 

go  to  Arracan,  while  I  looked  for  another  vessel. 
And  he,  who  was  nearly  at  the  end  of  the  little 
money  he  had  brought  on  shore  with  him,  reluc- 
tantly accepted  my  offer. 

On  the  following  day,  the  captain  stating  him- 
self willing  to  make  the  exchange,  Joe  took  big 
things  on  board.  The  vessel  sailed,  and  I  saw  his 
face  no  more. 

Two  days  afterward  I  procured  a  berth  as  sea- 
conny  on  board  a  Tamatave  bullock  trader.  The 
news  had  just  arrived  at  the  Isle  of  France  that 
die  despotic  queen  of  Madagascar,  who  had  for  a 
long  time  kept  every  trading  port  on  the  eastern 
side  of  her  island  hermetically  sealed  to  foreign 
vessels,  had  at  length  been  induced  to  open  the 
harbor  of  Tamatave  to  trade. 

The  Isle  of  France  is  entirely  dependent  on 
Madagascar  and  the  African  coast  for  beef-cattle. 
None  are  raised  on  the  island,  which  is  devoted 
almost  entirely  to  the  culture  of  sugar.  The 
Madagascar  coast  is  only  three  days'  sail  distant, 
while  the  nearest  point  on  the  African  coast  can 
not  be  reached  under  twelve  days.  Of  course  the 
Madagascar  trade  is  of  great  advantage  to  the^ 
Mauritius. 

All  was  at  once  bustle  and  business  among  the 
bullock  traders,  on  receiving  the  news  cf  a  re- 
newal of  trade.  Our  vessel  was  among  the  first 
to  reach  the  newly  opened  port.  The  trade  winds 
swept  us  down  in  three  days  and  a  half.  We 
found  cattle  enough  on  the  white  beach  before  the 


278  WHALING     AND    FISHING. 

town  to  load  a  dozen  vessels.  The  natives  were 
moderately  civil,  but  evidently  not  at  all  cordial 
But  it  w'as  their  cattle  and  not  themselves  w« 
wanted  ;  and  so,  the  business  being  conducted  OD 
the  cash  and  one  price  principle,  there  was  but 
little  difficulty  in  our  intercourse  with  them. 

The  large  hump  cattle  were  brought  alongside, 
one  at  a  time,  in  native  canoes.  We  hoisted  them 
in  and  bestowed  them  in  the  hold,  in  stalls  pre- 
pared for  them. 

On  the  second  day  after  our  arrival  in  port,  I, 
with  the  other  seaconnies,  took  a  walk  up  to  the 
town,  which  is  situated,  in  Madagascar  fashion, 
upon  a  hill,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  beach. 
It  consisted  of  an  assemblage  of  most  wretched 
looking  huts,  dark  and  poorly  fitted  within,  and 
unprepossessing  without.  A  mud  wall  surrounded 
the  place,  and  with  a  moat,  formed  its  chief  de- 
fense against  an  enemy. 

Over  the  gate  at  which  we  entered,  twenty 
human  sculls  were  ranged  in  a  semi- circle.  These, 
now  bleached  by  several  rainy  seasons,  were  once 
the  property  of  some  English  sailors,  who  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  natives  while  making  an 
attack  upon  the  town  some  years  before 

When  news  reached  the  governor  of  the  Mauri- 
tius that  these  barbarous  trophies  were  yet  dis- 
played before  the  eyes  of  British  and  French 
traders,  a  remonstrance  and  request  for  their 
deliverance  into  the  handg  of  a  British  agent,  for 
decent  burial,  was  despatcted  to  the  Madagascar 


OtT&     CARGO.  2<TJ) 

chiefs  who  ruled  that  part  of  the  coast.  The 
reply  from  the  queen  was,  that  the  sculls  must 
remain  where  they  were  placed,  and  that  if  Brit- 
ish  merchants  and  seamen  found  themselves  in- 
jured in  feelings  by  this  display,  they  need  not 
come  there  to  trade.  As  Tamatave  is  important 
on  account  of  its  nearness  to  Port  Louis,  and  the 
quantity  of  bullocks  brought  there  from  the  inte- 
rior, it  was  resolved  to  pocket  the  aifront  and  con- 
tinue the  trade. 

We  remained  but  three  days  in  the  bay.  Our 
passage  to  Port  Louis  lasted  seventeen  days.  The 
fair  wind  down  was  of  course  dead  ahead  when 
returning,  and  we  were  forced  to  beat  to  wind- 
ward every  inch  of  the  way. 

It  is  singular  how  quickly  on  board  ship  the 
most  ferocious  animal  becomes  tame  and  docile. 
The  cattle  of  Madagascar  are  noted  for  their  wild- 
ness  and  savage  temper.  Yet  we  were  scarcely  a 
week  at  sea  ere  every  one  of  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty  which  formed  our  cargo  knew  the  voice 
of  his  attendant,  and  was  perfectly  tractable  and 
obedient  to  command. 

Before  we  reached  Port  Louis  many  of  the  finest 
animals,  who  were  much  caressed  by  the  crew, 
grew  to  know  individual  visitors  to  their  places 
of  confinement.  I  remember  well  one  noble  fel- 
low, who  had  killed  a  Madagascar  man  on  shore 
befure  we  took  him  on  board,  and  who  for  two  or 
three  days  gave  the  cattle  tenders  more  trouble 
than  any  half  dozen  others.  He  was  as  fine 


280  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

ii  specimen  of  hia  kind  as  ever  I  saw,  and  oxcited 
universal  admiration  when  we  got  him  on  deck. 

"Well,  this  savage  fellow  gradually  came  undoi 
the  influence  of  man,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first 
week  out  was  already  as  tame  as  need  be.  He 
was  my  favorite.  I  frequently  walked  to  his  stall 
with  a  handfull  of  salt,  or  an  armfull  of  feed. 
And  shortly  he  would  low  gently  at  my  approach, 
and  if  I  stood  near  enough  to  him,  would  hold  out 
his  great  head  to  be  scratched,  permitting  me  to 
handle  the  horns  which  but  a  few  days  before  had 
impaled  a  Madagassy.  He  could  distinguish  me 
from  all  others,  even  at  some  distance,  and  would 
manifest  pleasure  even  at  the  sound  of  my  voice. 
Many  of  the  cattle  had  names  given  them  by 
their  especial  friends  among  the  crew.  Thus 
the  Malabars  had  two  favorites  whom  they  called 
respectively  Abdallah  and  Mohammed  AH.  I  called 
my  huge  friend,  Sancho,  and  by  this  name  he  was 
shortly  known  to  all  on  board. 

When  our  cargo  was  landed  at  Port  Louis,  I 
took  a  farewell  of  Sancho.  But  some  days  after- 
ward, while  rambling  over  a  beautiful  pasture 
.some  miles  from  the  city,  I  unknowingly  ap- 
proached a  herd  of  cattle.  I  was  about  to  retreat — 
for  the  hump  cattle  quite  frequently  attack  stran- 
gers— when  a  mighty  animal  came  running  toward 
me,  head  down  and  tail  high  in  air.  I  thought 
my  end  was  nigh,  ana  looked  about  rather  de- 
Bpair:ngly  for  an  avenue  of  retreat,  when  I  recog- 
nized in  the  advancing  brute  my  old  friend 


S  A  N  C  H  O  .  281 

Sancho.  Somewhat  reassured,  I  awaited  his  ap- 
proach. I  should  have  run,  had  there  been  a 
place  of  security  at  reasonable  distance.  But 
from  my  position  to  the  nearest  tree  or  fence  vrae 
*uch  a  distance  as  that  in  a  race  I  would  certainly 
have  been  overtaken.  When  Sancho  came  within 
a  short  distance,  I  spoke  his  name.  At  this  he 
grew  almost  frantic,  and  began  such  a  series  of 
ungainly  capers  about  me,  that  though  in  immi- 
nent fear  of  being  crushed  by  him  in  his  elephan- 
tine manifestations  of  joy,  I  had  to  laugh  heartily 

When  he  was  a  little  quieted,  I  advanced  and 
stroked  his  bushy  head  and  handled  his  horns, 
whereat  he  seemed  as  pleased  as  a  child  would  be 
at  the  caress  of  a  friend.  The  other  cattle  mean- 
while gathered  around  at  various  distances,  sus- 
piciously watching  my  movements,  and  evidently 
much  at  a  loss  to  know  the  import  of  Sancho's 
actions. 

After  paying  my  huge  friend  such  attentions  as 
I  thought  would  be  mutually  agreeable,  I  turned 
to  leave.  But  this  motion  he  strenuously  resisted. 
Turn  which  way  I  would,  he  got  before  me,  and 
insisted  on  further  attention.  The  nearest  fence 
was  some  hundred  yards  off,  and  I  saw  no  way  of 
getting  there  with  his  opposition.  When  I  per- 
sistently moved  on,  he  would  recommence  hie 
huge  gambols  in  such  close  proximity  to  my 
person  as  to  make  me  glad  to  stop.  He  would 
toss  his  head  an  i  leap  about  me  madly,  sha- 
king his  ungainly  hump,  and  making  altogether 


WHALING    AND 

unmistakable  demonstrations  of  the  pleasure  hb 
found  n  my  society,  as  well  as  of  his  determina- 
tion not  to  forego  that  pleasure  for  some  time. 
Moreover,  the  balance  of  the  herd,  nearly  a  hun- 
dred huge '  bulls,  followed  implicitly  the  motions 
of  my  friend,  and  threatened  by  their  sympathetic 
rejoicings  to  become  exceedingly  troublesome. 

I  was  soon  aware  that  a  good  degree  of  gener- 
alship would  be  necessary  to  get  safely  away.  I 
plucked  some  grass,  and  Sancho,  appeased,  good- 
naturedly  ate  it  from  my  hand.  I  moved  slowly 
on,  gathering  grass  as  I  went,  and  thus  keeping 
ais  suspicions  at  rest.  In  the  course  of  half  an 
hour  I  found  myself  by  this  means  within  a  short 
distance  of  the  fence.  Picking  out  a  part  easy  to 
leap  over,  I  gradually,  approached  it,  and  finally, 
with  a  quick  spring  placed  it  between  myself  and 
my  troublesome  friend. 

This  violation  of  confidence  aroused  his  fury ; 
and  with  glaring  eyes  and  angry  toss  of  the  head 
he  pawed  the  ground,  and  bellowed  hoarsely  at 
me.  I,  meantime,  not  knowing  but  he  might 
attempt  to  follow  me  even  over  the  fence,  made 
good  headway  toward  a  turn  in  the  road,  where 
I  should  get  out  of  sight,  and  I  hoped  out  of  mind 
This  was  my  last  visit.  A  week  after,  with  many 
compunctions  of  conscience,  I  ate  a  steak  cut  from 
Sancho's  fore  quarter. 

.  Upon  my  return  to  Port  Louis  from  Tamatave, 
aiy  good  friend  Mademoiselle  Angelique  was  mar- 
ried. I  attended  the  wedding,  as  her  adopted 


A     WEDDING. 

fc  rother,  and  was  much  delighted  at  the  charming 
simplicity  with  which  everything  was  conducted, 
Most  of  the  French  Islanders  are  Eoman  Catholics. 
Angelique  and  her  intended  husband.  Captain 
A.lexandre,  wer3  nominally  so ;  and  of  course  the 
marriage  ceremony  was  pronounced  by  the  Priest, 
at  a  little  church  situated  in  the  native  quaitor. 
The  bride  and  groom  walked  together  from  the 
house  of  the  former,  to  the  church,  preceded  and 
attended  by  a  company  of  young  girls,  dressed  in 
white.  These  strewed  flowers  on  the  way,  and 
sung  verses  suited  to  the  occasion,  to  a  simple 
and  beautiful  air. 

At  the  church  door  they  were  received  by  such 
of  the  bridegroom's  male  acquaintance  as  had 
been  invited  to  attend.  The  attendant  maidens 
entered  the  church,  singing  and  casting  flowers 
about,  until  they  reached  the  altar,  where  they 
formed  in  order  on  each  side,  leaving  a  middle 
space  for  the  happy  couple.  These  took  their 
places,  and  the  male  friends  formed  a  semicircle 
outside  of  all.  The  ceremony  was  then  performed 
by  the  Priest.  I  presume  it  was  the  common 
ceremonial  of  the  Roman  Church.  Near  its  close 
one  of  the  maidens  handed  to  the  bridegroom 
a  beautiful  wreath  of  white  flowers,  which  he 
placed  upon  the  head  of  his  bride.  She  was 
dressed  in  pure  white,  with  a  small  gold  cross 
suspended  by  a  thin  gold  chain  from  her  neck. 
The  bridegroom  was  clothed  in  a  check  shirt,  and 


284  WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

handsome  blue  jacket  and  browsers.  They  wert 
a  fine  looking  couple. 

At  the  close  of  the  ceremony,  flowers  were  show- 
ered down  upon  the  bridal  pair  until  I  thought 
they  would  be  smothered  under  the  load.  Then, 
amid  another  and  more  solemn  chant  from  the 
attendant  maidens,  the  party  left  the  church;  the 
newly  married  couple  walking  hand  in  hand  like 
little  children. 

All  now  walked  to  the  groom's  house,  situated  a 
little  distance  in  the  country.  Here  some  matrons 
and  old  men  were  in  waiting,  with  presents  of 
necessary  household  articles,  of  no  great  value, 
but  altogether  helping  very  materially  to  make 
the  young  pair  comfortable.  As  each  one  pre- 
sented his-  or  her  gift,  a  kiss  and  a  graceful 
"  merci  "  from  the  bride  was  given  as  reward.  An 
ample  supply  of  fruits  and  wine  was  then  laid  out 
on  mats  upon  the  green,  beneath  the  shade  of 
some  cocoa  nut  palms,  and  here  the  day  was  passed 
in  quiet  enjoyment,  tLe  evening  closing  with  a 
dance  upon  the  green  sward,  to  the  music  of  a 
most  wretchedly  played  guitar. 


THE     BAIG     ANNIE.  285 


CHAPTER  XVI 

Cm  Annie — Her  Captain — I  Ship  in  her — Our  Crew — A  Clip- 
per's Forecastle — Sleeping  Das-accommodations— Steering — 
"  Humbugging  " — Planning  a  Mutiny — Counter  Planning — 
The  African  Coast — Algoa  Bay — The  Anchorage — Surf-boats 
—Cape  Boors— A  South  Easter— A  Double  Wreck— Lloyd's 
Agent. 

UPON  my  return  from  Tamatave  I  left  the  vessel 
I  had  sailed  thither  in.  She  was  going  to  Calcutta, 
and  thence  to  London.  I  desired  to  go  nowhere 
just  then,  without  having  at  least  a  fair  prospect 
of  being  able  to  return  to  the  Isle  of  France.  1 
was  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  in  a  few  days,  a  berth 
in  a  little  Scotch  brig,  bound  to  Algoa  Bay,  on 
tne  African  Coast. 

The  Annie— that  was  the  brig's  name — was  a 
beautiful  little  craft  of  about  two  hundred  tons 
burthen.  I  had  often  heard  old  sea  dogs  teil  :/ 
ve&.»ols  that  they  loved  almost  better  than  them- 
selves This  was  such  a  one.  Her  long,  :ow, 
gracefully  curving  hull,  her  sharp,  keen  bow,  and 
clean  cut  run,  her  taunt,  tapering  masts,  and  vast 
yards,  almost  heavy  enough  for  a  vessel  of  twice 
her  size,  thr  jaunty,  reckless,  yet  neat  air  of  every- 


286  WHALING    AND    PISHING. 

thing,  alow  and  aloft:  all  these  tended  to  mak« 
her  the  delight  of  a  true  seaman,  proving,  as  they 
did,  that  she  was  a  clipper  in  every  sense  of  the 
word. 

She  came  into  port  on  the  same  day  with  ua, 
*ind  as  she  easily  glided  past  us,  with  a  light 
breeze,  all  hands  congregated  on  our  deck  to  look 
at  and  admire  her.  I  think  I  never  saw  so  perfect 
a  little  craft,  or  one  so  consistently  rigged  and 
fitted  throughout.  To  my  rather  matter  of  fact 
spirit,  it  had  always  seemed  an  ahsurdity  to  love 
a  vessel.  But  this  time  I  was  forced  myself  to 
entertain  the  feeling.  She  was  a  heauty,  and  as  1 
stood  in  silence  examining  her  matchless  hull,  no 
line  or  curve  of  which,  but  was  artistically  true, 
I  owned,  with  an  inward  smile,  that  this  was 
really  a  case  of  "love  at  first  sight." 

"  That's  the  vessel  I  am  going  in  next  voyage," 
said  I  to  one  of  the  other  sea-connies, 

"  You'd  better  keep  out  of  her.  Her  captain  is 
the  meanest  Scotchman  that  ever  lived.  And 
moreover  the  mate  is  his  brother.  The  man  that 
ships  in  her  will  smell  brimstone,  I  can  assure 
you." 

"Brimstone  or  no  brimstone,"  thought  I,  "that's 
iny  ship,  if  I  can  prevail  on  the  captain  to  carry 
me" 

On  farther  inquiry  I  learnt  that  the  Annie's 
Captain  was  indeed  a  tyrant,  and  that  the  little 
beauty  never  carried  the  same  crew  two  voyages- 


A     SUSPICIOUS     CRAFT.  287 

Nevertheless,  the  vessel  was  not  to  be  driven  from 
my  mind,  and  I  determined  to  risk  at  least  one 
trip  in  her. 

I  boarded  her  the  following  day,  and  heard  from 
her  crew  that  they  were  all  going  to  leave. 

"  No  white  man  can  stand  such  a  wretch  two 
voyages,"  said  an  old  tar  to  me.  "  You  have  no 
thought  of  going  in  her,  have  you,  boy? " 

I  hesitatingly  acknowledged  my  desire  to  make 
a  voyage  in  the  Annie. 

"  You're  a  fool — that's  all.  But  you're  in  lov« 
with  the  little  craft." 

"  Small  blame  to  him,"  spoke  up  another  of  the 
crew.  "  Sure,  every  one  of  us  was  in  the  same  fix 
this  day  two  months  ago." 

"  Well,  she's  a  darling,"  said  a  third,  with  a  sigh, 
"  but  the  master  is  the  devil." 

I  could  not  find  out  in  what  respect  the  captain 
resembled  the  individual  last  mentioned.  Her 
crew  were  going  to  leave;  and  with  a  jealousy 
somewhat  characteristic  of  British  seamen,  pre- 
ferred to  let  me  learn  by  experience  the  disagree- 
able traits  in  the  captain's  character. 

So  I  determined  not  to  be  frightened  at  shadows, 
but  being  able  to  do  my  duty,  to  ship  in  her,  fear- 
less of  consequences.  "When  the  captain  made  hia 
appearance  on  deck,  I  walked  aft,  and  asked  him 
for  a  berth  for  his  next  voyage. 

"  You're  a  Yankee  lad,  are  you  not?  "  he  asked, 

I  replied  in  the  affirmative. 

"Hav«  you  heard  any  thing  about  me  ashore? 


WHALING     AND    FISHING. 

I  hesitatingly  replied  that  he  was  scarcely  in 
the  odor  of  sanctity  with  those  who  had  sailed 
with  him. 

"  I  suppose  not.  But  if  you  can  do  your  duty, 
you  need  not  be  afraid  of  the  Annie.  If  you  can't 
you  had  better  never  look  this  way  again.  If  you 
want  me  to  ship  you,  come  aboard  to-morrow 
morning  at  10  o'clock,  and  sign  the  articles.  The 
wages  are  two  pounds  seven  and  sixpence,  and 
small  stores." 

All  this  was  said  in  a  Scotch  way,  which  I  could 
hardly  understand,  and  I  noticed  that  occasionally 
when  he  spoke  a  word  to  his  mate,  it  sounded  like 
anything  else  but  English  to  me.  But  "  what's 
the  odds,  so  long  as  you're  happy,"  thought  I; 
and  determined,  no  matter  what  was  told  me  of 
the  officers,  to  go  at  least  one  trip  in  the  little 
craft.  Accordingly,  on  the  following  morning  I 
signed  the  Annie's  articles,  binding  myself  to  go 
"  to  Algoa  Bay,  or  Port  Elizabeth  ;  thence  to  such 
other  ports  on  the  coast  of  Africa  as  the  captain 
may  direct;  and  return  to  Port  Louis." 

The  vessel  was  to  sail  in  five  days,  and  her.crew 
was  not  wanted  on  board  till  the  day  before  she 
1  -)ft  port.  1  had  th  erefore  some  days  before  me, 
wherein  to  prepare  myself  for  the  voyage.  I  found 
that  wherever  I  happened  among  the  seamen  then 
ashore,  the  news  of  my  shipping  in  the  Annie  had 
preceded  me.  Yarious  were  the  comments  made 
upon  this  piece  of  rashness  Those  who  were 
well  disposed  toward  me  urged  me  to  back  out 


THE  ANNIE'S  CREW. 

Those  who  did  not  know  me,  except  casually, 
chuckled  with  delight  that  "  that  Yankee  fellow  " 
was  taken  in.  Captain  McDonald,  and  his  brother 
the  mate,  I  found  were  well  known  in  Port  Louis, 
as  a  pair  of  arrant  tyrants,  to  be  in  whose  power 
might  be  justly  thought  a  calamity.  Even  cap 
tain  Alexandre,  the  husband  of  Angelique,  urged 
me  to  back  out  from  my  agreement,  and  wait  for 
a  better  chance. 

But  my  mind  was  made  up.  Some  one  must  go 
in  the  vessel,  thought  I,  and  if  any  one  could  stand 
it,  I  could.  So  I  was  shortly  given  over  as  an 
impracticable. 

On  the  fourth  day  I  rendered  myself  on  board. 
I  found  the  four  men  already  in  the  forecastle,  who 
were,  with  myself,  to  form  her  crew.  They  were 
a  rough  looking  set. 

"  You're  Yankee  Charley,  that  lives  up  in  Mala- 
bar town  ?  "  queried  one,  after  we  had  taken  a  good 
look  at  one  another. 

"  At  your  service." 

"Where's  Joe  Eogers,  that  used  to  live  with 
you?" 

"  He  went  to  Arracan,  in  the  brig  Talliho." 

"  I  wish  he  were  with  us.  He's  the  best  fellow 
that  ever  I  sailed  with.  He's  true  blue." 

"  Well,  young  one,"  said  the  oldest  of  the  crew 
to  me,  vi  you've  heard  about  the  officers  of  this 
little  craft.  They're  a  pair  of  bloody  scoundrels, 
and  we  must  show  a  firm  front,  or  they  will  lead 
us  a  wretched  life." 
19 


290  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

u  Count  me  in,"  said  I,  knowing  that  a  determi- 
nation expressed  in  few  words  was  best  suited 
to  the  minds  of  British  tars. 

"  That's  right.  If  he's  down  on  one,  he's  down 
on  ail;  and  if  he  attempts  to  curse  ary  one,  curse 
him  back,  from  the  word  go. 

"  The  main  thing,"  said  another,  "  is  to  do  oar 
duty  like  men.  Then  if  he  growls,  we  shall  be 
in  the  right." 

I  think  if  our  captain,  had  known  what  was 
going  on  in  the  forecastle,  he  would  scarcely  have 
been  willing  to  carry  us  as  his  crew.  Meantime, 
we  made  ourselves  comfortable  in  our  new  home. 
Owing  to  the  sharpness  of  the  vessel,  the  fore- 
castle was  an  exceedingly  narrow  hole,  in  which 
five  men  had  just  room  to  stand  up  together,  but 
certainly  not  enough  to  sit  down.  Fortunately 
but  two  of  us  had  chests.  The  balance  were  old 
coast  rangers,  and  kept  their  clothes  in  bags, 
which  served  for  pillows. 

Being  the  last  one  on  board,  I  had  a  forward 
berth  left  for  my  use.  This  was  so  narrow  that  I 
found  it,  on  trial,  impossible  to  lie  straight  in  it. 
My  shoulders  were  broader  than  the  berth  space, 
and  the  only  way  in  which  I  could  rest  was  by 
lying  upon  one  side. 

"  You'll  have  to  get  out  to  turn  over,  my  fine 
fellow,"  said  one  who  had  been  watching  me  while 
adjusting  myself  to  the  space. 

And  this  proved  to  be  true.  Whenever,  during 
my  sleep,  I  got  tired  of  lying  upon  one  side,  I  was 


STEERING     A    CLIPPER.  291 

obliged  to  get  out  and  carefully  crowd  myself  in 
on  the  other. 

"That  comes  of  going  in  a  clipper,"  remarked 
one  who  was  as  unfortunate  as  myself  in  his 
sleeping  place. 

The  first  day  on  board  was  passed  in  idleness. 
After  washing  the  deck,  we  were  told  there  was 
nothing  more  to  do.  So  I  sat  down  to  a  book, 
while  my  shipmates  played  cards,  smoked,  and 
talked  over  old  times.  They  were  a  tolerably 
hard  set;  and  I  thought,  not  without  satisfaction, 
that  our  officers  would  gain  but  very  little  by  any 
but  the  most  civil  conduct  toward  us. 

At  daylight  on  the  following  morning,  we  cast 
loose  from  our  moorings,  and  dropped  down  the 
harbor.  Once  clear  of  the  shipping,  all  sail  was 
set,  and  we  glided  quickly  seaward. 

"Send  Yankee  Charley  aft,  to  the  wheel  I'' 
shouted  the  skipper. 

I  proceeded  aft. 

"  Keep  her  straight.  She  steers  like  a  boat ;  and 
I  count  half  a  quarter  of  point  a  good  bit  out  of 
the  way.  If  you  watch  her  closely,  she  need  not 
go  off  her  course  at  all." 

Now  a  quarter  of  a  point  off,  or  to,  is  consid- 
ered pretty  good  steering  in  most  vessels.  So 
that  this  narrowing  down  to  half  a  quarter  was  by 
by  no  means  comfortable.  Nevertheless,  as  1 
was  always  counted  a  good  helmsman,  I  cared  lit- 
tle for, what  the  skipper  said — content  to  rest  up. 
on  laurels  already  won  in  that  line. 


292  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

I  found  the  little  craft  to  steer  very  nicely — aft 
indeed  was  to  be  expected,  from  her  build,  A 
spoke  of  the  wheel  either  way,  was  quite  suffi- 
cient to  keep  her  along  straight.  But  I  never 
before  saw  any  one  watch  the  compass  so  closely 
as  did  our  captain.  He  seemed  to  make  this  his  sole 
business.  If  he  was  walking  the  quarter  deck,  he 
looked  into  the  binnacle  every  time  he  passed  it. 
If  he  was  talking  to  the  mate,  he  would  stop  in 
the  middle  of  a  sentence  to  ask  how  she  headed 
''exactly."  If  he  was  obliged  to  walk  forward,  he 
kept  his  eyes  constantly  ahead,  to  see  how  much 
she  swung  about.  And  as  it  was  necessary  that 
he  should  sometimes— at  meals,  and  during  the 
night — be  below,  he  had  prepared  himself  for  this 
by  having  the  steering  compass  placed  in  the  cabin 
sky-light,  and  having  it  fitted  with  a  transparent 
card  and  bottomless  box,  so  that  by  looking  up 
from  where  he  eat  or  slept,  he  could  know  as  well 
HS  the  steersman  how  she  headed. 

All  this  was  excessively  disagreeable.  To  steer 
is,  under  any  circumstances,  the  most  irksome  task 
which  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  foremast  hand.  It 
requires  unceasing  vigilance,  and  an  entire  con- 
centration of  thought  upon  one  object — the  ves- 
sel's course.  The  mere  skill  necessary  to  guide  a 
ship  is  the  least  part  of  the  accomplishment. 
With  so  quick  motioned  a  little  craft  as  the  Annie, 
a  constant  watch  was  necessary,  to  keep  her  from 
shooting  off  her  course.  With  this  unceasing  care, 
it  was  quite  possible  to  keep  her  exactly  upon  her 


"WORKING    UP"    A     CREW.  293 

course,  as  ,vas  indeed  often  done  on  this  voyage— 
the  vessel  not  swerving  a  hair's  breadth,  some- 
times for  an  hour. 

But  the  slightest  inattention  was  sure  to  be 
followed  by  a  "  now  then,  where  are  you  off  to 
now?"  from  the  skipper;  an  unwelcome  reminder 
that  she  was  off  her  course. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  shortly  the  trick  at 
the  wheel  was  regarded  as  the  worst  of  each  one's 
labor,  while  the  man  who  found  it  so  convenient 
to  sleep  and  eat  and  walk  about  under  or  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  compass  was  rightly 
thought  a  tyrant. 

This  was  only  one  way  in  which  the  exacting 
spirit  of  our  Scotch  skipper  showed  itself.  His 
vessel  was  a  clipper : 

"  She  can  sail,"  said  he,  "and  it  is  my  pleasure  to 
have  every  thing  done  that  will  facilitate  her  speed." 

So  every  morning  at  daylight,  and  every  day 
at  noon,  and  every  evening,  and  sometimes  (if  he 
happened  to  be  awake)  at  midnight,  tacks,  sheets, 
halyards,  braces  and  bowlines  were  swayed  home, 
thus  keeping  one  watch  on  deck  half  an  hour 
longer  than  necessary,  besides  forcing  all  hands  to 
a  labor  which  every  one  knew  was  not  at  all 
necessary.  For  so  taut  were  the  ropes  sometimes, 
that  it  was  actually  necessary  to  ease  them  off 
again  during  the  succeeding  watch — only  however, 
to  be  again  swayed  home  when  the  watches  were 
ebanged. 


294  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  decks  of  the  little  craft 
were  holy-stoned  every  morning  for  at  least  an 
hour  :  until  we  one  night  emptied  the  sand  neces 
ftary  to  this  labor,  over  board.  After  that  the 
paint  work  received  a  double  share  of  attention, 
and  even  the  masts  were  scrubbed ;  while  any 
spare  time  in  the  morning  watch  was  devoted  to 
brightening  up  the  brass-work,  of  which  this 
daintily  fitted  little  vessel  had  as  much  as  many  a 
frigate.  All  this  kind  of  labor  is  irritating  to  sea- 
men. They  call  it  humbuggery.  To  work  hard 
from  daylight  till  dark,  at  the  vessel's  rigging  or 
sails,  where  perhaps  every  bit  of  sea  lore  they 
may  be  possessed  of  is  brought  into  service,  would 
not  be  thought  disagreeable.  But  to  set  a  parcel 
of  old  tars  at  scrubbing  paint- work,  brightening 
brass  rigging  caps  and  capstan  heads,  and  knock- 
ing rust-scales  from  the  iron  work,  will  produce 
mutinous  thoughts  sooner  than  any  other  course 
of  treatment. 

So  it  came  about,  that  ere  we  were  a  week  out, 
as  I  came  forward  from  the  wheel  one  day  at  noon, 
a  plan  was  being  discussed,  by  which  we,  the  crew, 
were  to  take  possession  of  the  vessel,  getting  rid 
of  the  officers  as  best  we  might.  The  reckless  fel- 
lows laughed  heartily  at  my  serious  face  when 
the  project  was  bluntly  laid  before  me. 

"  As  for  Jimmy'' — the  mate — "I  can  easily  put 
iiim  over  the  taffrail  any  night  when  I  am  at  the 
wheel,  for  the  booby  regularly  goes  to  sleep  -when 


PI ANNING     A     MUTINY.  295 

he  has  the  midwatch  upon  deck,"  said  a  Scotch- 
man, between  whom  and  the  mate  there  was 
a  standing  grudge. 

"  And  the  skipper  wouldn't  give  us  much  trouble. 
Only  bring  the  vessel  in  the  wind  once,  and  he'd 
rush  right  into  our  arms. 

"  And  then  just  think  that  this  little  craft — and 
by  all  that's  good,  she's  the  smartest  and  prettiest 
little  thing  that  ever  I  saw — just  think  that  she'll 
be  our  own." 

"  Look  out ;  here  comes  the  mate,"  said  I  seeing 
that  worthy  approach.  So  the  conversation  was 
closed  for  the  time.  I  did  not  sleep,  that  afternoon 
watch.  I  had  sufficient  subject  for  thought.  It 
was  evident  that  although  the  matter  of  a  mutiny 
had  been  broached  at  noon  in  a  kind  of  semi-joc- 
ular way,  there  was  that  in  the  hearts  of  some 
which  it  would  require  but  an  accidental  excess 
on  the  captain's  part  to  fan  into  a  flame  of  action. 
How  to  prevent  this  was  now  a  matter  for  very 
serious  consideration. 

To  withold  my  consent  would  perhaps  have 
some  influence  on  their  actions — for  although  1 
was  physically  the  slightest  of  our  crew,  they  had 
a)l  somehow  got  a  liking  for  me.  But  this  would 
5-ot  answer  all  objections.  After  a  couple  of  hours 
study,  it  finally  occurred  to  me  that  the  whole 
plan  was  certainly  not  yet  matured,  and  I  deter- 
mined to  hinder  its  farther  progress,  by  showing 
up  as  clearly  as  I  could  its  impracticability. 

That  evening  in  the  dog  watch,  a  young  lad  waa 


296'  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

sent  to  the  wheel,  and  the  rest  of  us  congregated 
before  the  windlass  to  have  another  talk  over  the 
matter, 

"You  see,  Charley,"  said  our  Scotchman,  "the 
thing  is  as  easily  done,  as  turning  over  your  hand." 

"But  what  are  you  going  to  do  afterward?"  I 
enquired. 

"  Oh,  we'll  sail  about  till  our  provisions  are  out, 
and  then  run  in  to  some  out  of  the  way  place  to 
get  some  more." 

"  Where's  the  money  to  purchase  more  ?  " 

"  That's  a  fact.  I  heard  it  stated  at  Port  Louis, 
that  our  skipper  always  sends  his  money  by 
another  vessel.  Having  an  agent  at  Algoa  Eay, 
he  don't  need  much." 

"  Besides  which,"  suggested  I,  "  if  the  Annie 
don't  arrive  at  her  port  in  proper  time,  you'll  see 
some  man-of-war  brig  after  her  in  double  quick 
time." 

"  I  have  yet  to  see  the  brig,  or  sloop,  or  frigate, 
that  could  catch  the  Annie,  sailing  on  a  bowline, 
or  in  fact,  any  other  way." 

"What  do  you  propose  to  do  with  the  brig, 
when  you  have  got  her  in  your  power  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Keep  her  or  sell  her,  as  may  seem  best." 

"You  can't  sell  her,  for  no  one  will  believe  you 
came  rightfully  by  her,  and  who  ever  you  offer 
her  to,  if  rascal  enough  to  buy  her  of  you,  would 
be  also  rascal  enough  to  put  you  in  jail  till  you 
gave  a  better  account  of  yourself  than  you  could 
do." 


THWARTING  THE  PLAN.  297 

"Well,  we'll  keep  her." 

"  Yes,  and  be  caught  in  her,  and  hung  up  to  her 
fard-arms.  Not  I  for  one,"  here  broke  in  a  tall 
Irishman,  who  had  not  before  said  much. 

"  There's  some  fine  spots  among  the  South  Sea- 
Islands.  Let  us  go  for  instance  to  "Ocean  Island 
in  her,  and  there  break  her  up,  or  wreck  hei 
before  we  get  in." 

Now  was  my  time  to  sum  up  the  case;  and 
drawing  a  long  breath,  I  was  about  to  commence 
such  a  setting  forth  of  the  whole  matter  as  should 
show  them  the  unsafeness,  as  well  as  the  unsatis 
factoriness  of  any  one  of  their  proposed  modes  of 
action,  when  the  sharp  voice  of  the  captain  was 
heard,  shouting — 

"Do  you  hear  there?  Lay  aft  here,  and  sway 
up  this  topsail !  The  leech  is  hanging  in  a  bight ! " 

"Aye,  aye,  sir/'  sung  out  Scotch  Jack;  adding 
in  an  under  tone,  "  Blast  you,  I  wish  you  were  at 
the  other  end  of  the  halyards." 

We  swayed  up  the  top-sail,  then  pulled  home 
the  top-gallant  sheets,  swayed  up  the  top-gallar* 
sail,  and  finished  with  the  royal. 

"  Now,  we'll  take  a  pull  at  the  forward  ha 
yards,"  said  the  skipper ;  who  was  never  so  well 
pleased  as  when  he  was  bowsing  taut  a  rope — 
)r  rather  ordering  others  to  do  so. 

After  half  an  hour's  straining  and  hallooing, 
every  rope  was  again  taut  as  a  harpstring,  and 
we  were  told  that  "that  would  do,  till  the  mid 
watch."  It  was  by  this  time  eight  bells;  the 


298  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

watch  was  set,  and  all  farther  deliberation 
over  for  the  night.  I  did  not  fear  any  precipitate 
action  on  the  part  of  my  evil-inclined  shipmatcs3 
woll  knowing  that  those  who  talk  most  in  sucl 
matters  are  generally  slowest  to  act.  I  trusted 
besides,  that  the  words  of  caution  I  had  thrown 
out,  would  not  be  without  fruit  in  their  minds. 

In  this  I  was  not  deceived  ;  for  when,  on  the  fol- 
lowing evening  all  hands  were  once  more  gath- 
ered on  the  forecastle,  every  one  but  Scotch  Jack 
declared  the  execution  of  their  project  to  be 
attended  with  more  difficulties  than  they  had  at 
first  sight  thought. 

I  now  determined  to  place  all  the  impossibility 
of  success  before  them  in  its  strongest  light.  Ac- 
cordingly, after  listening  for  some  time  to  new 
suggestions,  and  even  throwing  out  one  or  two 
myself,  I  began : 

"  You  can't  sell  the  vessel,  boys :  that's  clear. 
You  can't  keep  her — that  is  equally  plain.  She's 
too  pretty  a  craft  to  be  broken  up  in  the  surf;  and 
besides,  if  you  want  to  go  to  Ocean  Island  or  any- 
where else  in  the  South  Seas,  you  have  all  been  to 
Sydney,  and  have  only  to  go  there  again  and  ship 
for  the  very  place  you  want  to  settle-down  in.  Aa 
for  the  skipper's  working  up — we  all  owe  him  a 
spite,  and  the  greatest  satisfaction  will  be  to  give 
him  and  the  mate  a  thundering  beating,  when  we 
get  back  to  Port  Louis.  If  ever  he  conies  into 
Malabar  town,  he  won't  leave  't  with  a  whole  skin, 
if  I  know  it.' 


THE   AFRICAN    COAST.  299 

With  this  piece,  half  of  reasoning,  half  of  brag- 
gadocio, I  lit  my  segar,  confident  I  had  given  a 
death-blow  to  our  harmless  little  conspiracy. 

"  It's  just  as  Yankee  Charley  says,  boys,  '  spoke 
one,  after  a  long  silence,  during  which  all  had 
evidently  been  chewing  the  cud  of  reflection.  "  It's 
not  fit  that  British  sailors  should  toss  sleeping 
men  overboard,  or  knock  defenseless  men  on  the 
head.  It  looks  too  much  like  a  parcel  of  misera- 
ble Portuguese.  But  if  either  skipper  or  mate  will 
fight  me,  man  fashion,  when  we  get  ashore,  I'll 
give  them  such  a  pair  of  black  peepers  as  you 
won't  find  this  side  of  London  bridge,  or  Donny- 
brook  Fair." 

This  was  the  last  of  what  was  afterward  called 
"  our  pet  conspiracy."  Had  our  passage  been  a 
tedious  one,  I  am  not  certain  but  that  it  would 
have  been  again  revived.  Happily,  however,  for 
all  concerned,  it  lasted  but  fourteen  days,  and  for 
three  of  these  fourteen  we  were  in  sight  of  the  Af- 
rican coast.  It  takes  longer  than  two  weeks  to 
natch  out  a  mutiny — a  fact  in  ornithology  to 
which,  perhaps,  our  rascally  officers  owed  more 
than  they  were  aware. 

We  made  the  coast  at  some  distance  to  the  north 
of  our  port.  Here,  the  African  land,  which  I  now 
beheld  plainly  for  the  second  time,  was  high,  and 
apparently  barren — very  unattractive  indeed,  and 
with  its  yellow  sandy  hills,  realizing  somehow, 
my  conception  of  the  Great  Desert.  As  wo  ap- 
proached Algoa  Bay,  the  bluffs  disappeared,  and 


300  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

low  islets  and  sand-banks  took  their  pla(,e—  mak- 
ing the  prospect  yet  more  dreary. 

The  bay  itself  is  wide  and  shallow.  It  affords 
but  an  insecure  anchorage,  and  would  not  be  fre- 
quented, were  there  a  better  one  within  a  hundred 
miles.  The  town  is  situated  on  rising  ground, 
facing  the  roadstead.  Its  white,  clean  looking 
houses  present  a  very  pleasing  appearance.  A 
fortress,  called  Fort  Frederic,  crowns  a  hill  adja- 
cent to  the  town.  Fort  Elizabeth  is  situated  at 
the  mouth  of  Baasheer  river,  which  flows  into  the 
bay,  near  the  town. 

Algoa  Bay  is  distant  from  Cape  Town  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  miles.  Capes  Padron  and 
Recife  are  the  promontories  by  which  it  is  bounded. 
The  settlement  belongs  to,  and  is  under  the  control 
of  the  Government  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
The  entire  district,  as  far  as  Port  Natal,  some  dis- 
tance North  of  Algoa  Bay,  is  known  generally  as 
the  Cape  Colony. 

Algoa  Bay  is  rather  an  open  roadstead  than  a 
safe  harbor.  Vessels  lie  at  from  one  to  two  miles 
from  the  shore,  with  which  they  communicate  by 
means  of  surf-boats.  Upon  entering  the  roads,  the 
captain  chooses  a  berth  for  his  vessel,  and  there 
brings  her  to,  with  two  anchors.  One  hundred 
fathoms  of  cable  are  paid  out  on  each  anchor. 
The  swell  of  the  Ocean  beats  in  here  with  the 
wind  at  the  South-east,  and  makes  rough  riding. 
It  is  at  all  times  necessary  to  keep  an  anchor 
watch. 


BURP-BOATS.  301 


A  South-easter  almost  always  sends 
ashore.  The  beach,  which  rises  gradually  from 
the  bottom,  is  composed  of  sand.  When  a  vessel 
once  begins  to  drag,  there  is  but  little  hope  for 
Lcr.  She  goes  ashore,  taking  with  her  all  who 
come  athwart  her  hawse  while  drifting.  Vessels 
are  generally,  in  such  cases,  washed  high  and  dry. 
There  is  but  little  danger  to  life,  and  sometimes 
the  crew  get  off  without  even  wetting  their  feet. 

Our  first  operation,  after  anchoring,  was  to  send 
down  topgallant  and  royal  yards,  and  house  top- 
gallantmasts.  Larger  vessels,  which  were  to  wait 
some  months  for  cargo,  had  their  topmasts  housed, 
and  topsail  yards  on  deck.  But  as  we  were  to 
remain  but  a  very  few  days,  our  preparations 
were  not  so  extensive. 

This  sending  down  top-hamper  very  much 
lightens  the  strain  upon  the  anchors,  as  of  course 
the  wind,  which  in  a  gale  bears  with  it  a  ver} 
tangible  pressure,  meets  less  resistance  aloft.  It 
is  a  practice  very  common  in  the  Indies,  where 
harbors  are  poorly  sheltered,  anchorage  is  unsafe, 
and  periodical  hurricanes  sweep  with  almost 
resistless  force  across  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

Our  only  communication  with  the  shore  was  by 
means  of  surf-boats.  These  are  large,  roomy 
boats,  sharp  at  both  ends,  and  capable  of  bearing 
from  three  to  six  tons  each,  of  freight.  They  are 
manned  by  a  people  there  called  Malays,  and  by 
Africaners.  The  former,  from  their  appearance, 
[  judged  to  be  descendants  of  Malay  settlers, 


302  WHALING    AND    FISHING, 

They  had  the  bright  yellow  color,  the  high  cheek 
bones,  and  lithe  figures  of  the  native  Malaccan. 
The  Africaners  were  fine  looking  men,  with  long 
wavy  hair,  and  sharp  features. 

The  boats  are  hauled  to  and  from  shore  by 
means  of  large  coir  hawsers,  stretched  along  over 
the  bottom  of  the  bay,  from  the  landing  to  the 
anchorage.  We  were  scarcely  at  anchor  when  a 
surf-boat  was  seen  putting  out  toward  us,  over- 
hauling and  carrying  along  a  hawser  which  had 
before  lain  at  the  bottom,  and  which  they  guessed 
would  be  found,  at  its  outer  end,  to  be  moored  bu1 
a  little  distance  from  our  vessel.  They  were  mis- 
taken,  however.  But  the  moorings  of  these  lines 
are  buoyed ;  and  a  few  minutes  after  they  got  out 
to  us  sufficed  to  pick  up  a  line  which  was  suited  to 
our  place.  This  was  immediately  made  fast  to 
our  bows,  by  the  light,  to  use  a  sailor-phrase,  the 
end  remaining  fast  to  its  moorings  at  the  bottom. 
This  completed,  the  captain  jumped  into  the  surf- 
boat,  and  was  taken  ashore.  We  now  learned 
for  the  first  time,  that  as  this  was  the  South-easter 
peason  in  Algoa  Bay,  no  one  but  the  captain  was 
allowed  to  go  ashore.  This  was  a  sad  disappoint- 
ment to  me,  again,  as  I  had  set  my  heart  upon  an 
exploration  of  the  place — and  would  not  have 
hesitated  to  accompany  some  old  Cape  farmer 
into  the  backwoods  of  Afiica.  But  the  fates 
ordained  otherwise. 

These  Cape  "  Boors,"  as  they  are  called,  seem  to 
be  a  queer  set.    With  a  good  spy -glass  we  could 


A    SOUTH    EASTEE.  803 

see  their  huge,  clumsy  wagons,  dragged  by  oxen 
almost  innumerable,  approaching  the  town,  over 
a  high  ridge  at  its  back.  They  brought  in  wool, 
ostrich  feathers,  lion's  skins,  beef,  butter,  and 
many  other  articles,  which  form  the  export  trade 
of  the  port.  Long,  slow-moving  trains  they  were, 
looking  to  us  like  vast  serpents  crawling  along. 

So  we  were  not  to  go  ashore.  This  vexed  my 
ill  satisfied  shipmates,  who  would  have  been  glad 
enough  to  desert  here,  had  there  been  the  slightest 
opportunity.  Not  that  they  had  not  been  in  worse 
vessels.  Not  that  the  voyage  was  unbearably 
long.  Not  that  the  labor  during  our  stay  in  port 
was  likely  to  be  exhausting.  But  simply  because 
they  had  by  this  time  found  out  all  about  the  ves- 
sel and  her  officers.  They  had  exhausted  the 
excitement  of  novelty  on  board,  and  their  restless 
spirits  pined  for  more.  It  is  so  always,  at  sea.  I  was 
possessed  with  this  spirit,  as  well  as  my  shipmates. 
And  to  me,  as  to  them,  it  was  a  bane  to  true  con- 
tentment. 

It  was  on  the  third  day  after  our  arrival  in  the 
roads,  that  a  regular  South  Easter  blew  up.  The 
air,  at  no  time  since  our  arrival  too  genial,  became 
almost  frosty.  Heavy  storm  clouds  blew  in  dense 
white  masses  to  the  North  West.  The  sea  began 
to  roll  in,  in  mountain  surges,  threatening  to  engulf 
the  vessels  which  lay  anchored  in  its  course.  The 
surf  boomed  solemnly  from  shore,  and  the  wind 
shrieked  through  our  rigging,  until  one  could 
scarcely  make  himself  heard  on  deck. 


804  WHALING    AND    FISHINO. 

Oar  brig  was  furnished  with  new  ground  tackle 
and  patent  anchors.  We  were  tolerably  secure 
also,  in  the  berth  our  captain — an  old  visitor  here 
— had  chosen.  But  as  the  little  craft  tugged  at 
her  anchors,  head  to  the  swell  which  tossed  her 
about  as  though  but  a  feather's  weight,  every  few 
minutes  a  sea  would  board  her  over  the  bows  and 
sweep  spare  cable,  buckets,  men,  and  every  thing 
movable,  aft.  We  were  obliged  to  batten  down  the 
hatches  and  to  close  the  forecastle  and  companion 
hatches  with  the  utmost  care,  to  prevent  some 
chance  wave  from  swamping  us. 

The  breeze  freshened  toward  evening,  and  the 
mate,  examining  his  barometer,  foretold  a  hard 
gale  before  midnight. 

"Mr.  McDonald  thinks  the  Earl  of  Harwood 
will  drag  before  two  hours,"  said  the  cook,  as  he 
gave  us  our  tea. 

"  Let  her  drag,"  answered  Scotch  Jack,  "  she 
wont  fall  foul  of  us.  And  that  will  be  another 
Scotch  vessel  gone  to  the  dogs.  I  wish  they  were 
all  at  the  bottom,  and  their  masters  with  them." 

Scotch  Jack  could  not  bear  those  of  his  country- 
men who  chiefly  command  vessels  from  the  Mau- 
ritius. He  was  from  Glasgow.  Our  captain  and 
mate,  in  common  with  most  of  their  countrymen 
in  this  part  of  India,  owned  Aberdeen  (they  pro- 
nounced it  A-bur-din)  or  its  immediate  neighbor- 
hood, as  their  home.  Between  these  two  sections 
of  country  there  has  long  been  much  jealousy. 
Sailors  from  the  western  coast  of  Scotland  can 


DRAGGING.  305 

sc-areely  ever  be  gotten  to  do  justice  to  those  on 
the  East  Coast — whom  they  think  sneaks  and 
mean  fellows  generally. 

At  eight  o'clock  when  the  anchor  watch  was  set 
tor  the  night,  we  dropped  a  third  anchor  unde? 
foot,  and  paid  out  some  more  cable  on  the  others. 
The  wind  was  now  directly  on  shore,  and  the  long 
line  of  white  surf  which  stretched  from  beam  to 
beam  showed  plainly  the  vessel's  fate  that  dragged 
her  anchor  this  night. 

We  had  set  the  Earl  of  Harwood  by  the  com- 
pass, and  those  on  deck  now  kept  an  eager  look 
out  upon  her  to  see  if  she  changed  her  position  at 
all,  as  that  would  be  a  sure  indication  that  her 
anchors  had  broke  ground.  The  fate  of  two  other 
vessels,  one  of  them  partly  owned  by  our  captain, 
depended,  in  a  measure,  upon  this  vessel's.  She 
was  anchored  directly  to  windward  of  them  ;  and 
)f  she  got  adrift,  they  would  be  either  cut  down 
and  sunk,  or  to  prevent  such  a  catastrophe,  would 
be  forced  to  slip  their  cables  and  drift  ashore. 

Meantime,  the  gale  roared  through  the  rigging 
with  freshened  impetus,  and  the  surf  boomed  on 
the  beach  with  a  noise  like  many  thunders.  My 
watch  on  deck  was  from  10  to  12.  As  my  watch- 
mate  and  I  came  on  deck,  the  Earl  of  Harwood 
began  to  drag.  At  first  she  lost  ground  but 
slowly.  Her  people  were  paying  out  cable,  in 
hopes  to  get  their  anchors  fast  once  more.  The 
r  fficers  of  the  brig  and  barque  to  leeward,  were 
20 


306  WHALING    AND     PISHING. 

violently  gesticulating  to  the  Earl  of  Harwood'f 
crew,  as  we  could  see  through  a  night  glass.     They 
evidently  desired  these  to  cut  away  their  vessel's 
masts,  as  the  last  hope  of  saving  her  and  them 
selves.     But  this  they  would  not  do. 

"  I'd  sooner  try  to  beat  the  old  craft  out,  at  the 
risk  of  burying  her  bones  in  the  sand,  than  to  cut 
away  those  masts ;  we  would  never  get  a  set  like 
them  again,"  the  Earl  of  Harwood's  mate  had  said 
on  the  previous  day,  while  talking  to  our  mate. 

But  beating  out  was  an  impossibility.  Only  a 
year  before  we  were  there,  a  mail  steamer,  drag- 
ging in  a  south-easter,  had  attempted  to  get  clear 
by  means  of  sails  and  steam ;  but  after  a  desperate 
struggle  of  some  hours,  had  gone  ashore.  How, 
then,  could  one  expect  a  vessel  depending  altoge- 
ther upon  sails,  to  be  cleared  ? 

"That  time  she  dragged  at  least  a  hundred 
fathom.  Another  slip  like  that  will  bring  her  foul 
of  the  Margaret,"  said  the  mate,  who  was  closely 
watching  every  turn  in  affairs.  "  If  he  would 
slip  now,  hoist  his  jib,  and  run  her  ashore,  he 
would  do  no  damage  to  any  one  else." 

"  There  goes  the  jib ! "  shouted  the  cook,  who 
had  turned  out  to  witness  the  exciting  scene. 

"Yes,  there  it  goes,"  said  Scotch  Jack,  as  the 
Bail  blew  out  of  the  bolt  ropes,  torn  to  shreds  by 
the  fierce  gale. 

"  That's  a  mishap,  now,  for  the  poor  Margaret." 

The  Harwood's  crew  had  slipped  their  cable  a1 


A     DOUBLE    WREoK.  307 

the  moment  of  hoisting  the  jib.  The  sail  gone, 
they  were  now  helpless,  and  dr  fted  with  light- 
ning speed  down  upon  the  Margaret. 

A  few  minutes  decided  her  fate.  Half  a  ship's 
length  ahead  would  have  cleared  the  Earl  of  Har- 
wood.  But  that  half  ship's  length  could  not  be 
got.  In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  read  the  account, 
the  two  vessels  were  hopelessly  fouled.  There 
was  a  sharp  crash  heard  above  the  gale,  and  in  the 
next  moment  the  Margaret,  jib  boom  and  foremast 
hanging  over  the  side,  was  drifting  toward  the 
surf,  with  the  Harwood.  The  barque  was  un- 
touched. Fortunately  for  her,  the  Harwood's  jib 
and  the  opposing  forces  of  the  collision  gave  the 
vessels  another  direction. 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  after  the  Margaret  got 
adrift,  both  vessels  were  bilged,  ashore.  It  was  a 
clear,  moonlight  night.  We  could  see  them,  ae 
they  were  tossed  about  like  two  chips,  in  the 
mountain  surf.  The  Harwood  came  down,  head 
on,  the  foresail  being  set  for  a  moment,  as  she  got 
into  the  surf,  to  give  her  a  proper  direction.  The 
Margaret  had  lost  all  her  forward  spars,  and  was 
obliged  to  drift  on  helplessly,  broadside  to. 

One  high  toss  on  the  surf,  and  the  two  vessels 
si  ruck.  Then  for  a  few  minutes  the  hulls  were 
concealed  by  the  surf  which  broke  furiously  over 
them.  But  each  wave  washed  them  higher  up, 
and  in  twenty  minutes  after  they  struck,  both 
hulls  were  lying  mastless,  on  their  bilge,  almost 
beyond  reach  of  a  common  swell. 


308  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

"The  Margaret's  crew  will  get  ashore  without 
difficulty,"  said  the  mate,  who  had  been  examin- 
ing with  his  nightglass  the  situation  of  the  vessels. 
"  But  the  Harwood  has  fallen  over  with  her  decks 
toward  the  surf.  It  will  not  be  such  an  easy 
matter  to  get  ashore  from  her." 

In  truth,  we  were  told  two  days  after,  when  the 
gale  subsided  and  we  once  more  held  communica- 
tions with  the  shore,  that  some  of  the  Harwood's 
crew  had  narrow  escapes,  the  surf  beating  so  vio- 
lently against  the  vessel's  exposed  deck  as  to 
make  their  position  for  a  few  minutes  exceedingly 
critical.  The  Margaret's  people  saved  all  their 
clothes  and  other  valuables,  and  had  she  had  any 
cargo  on  board,  would  have  been  able  to  have 
saved  that  also. 

In  Algoa  Bay,  as  in  every  other  seaport  in  the 
known  world;  there  is  found  a  Lloyd's  agent — a 
person  who  acts  on  behalf  of  the  Marine  Insurance 
Companies.  I  have  often  wondered  how  it  comes 
about  that  whenever  there  is  a  wreck,  one  of  these 
agents  appears  almost  simultaneously  with  it. 
Let  misfortune  overtake  a  vessel  in  the  most 
unfrequented  spot  in  the  globe,  ^,nd  I  am  sure  a 
Lloyd's  agent  would  be  on  hand.  Like  the  stormy 
petrel,  he  is  seen  principally  during  a  gale  and 
after  its  subsidence.  In  fine  weather  he  relapses 
into  insignificance,  and  be  he  independent  mer- 
chant or  commercial  agent,  has  no  marks  to 
distinguish  him  from  others  of  that  class.  Wo 
might  have  wandered  over  Algoa  Bay  for  a  week 


I.tOYD'S    AGENT.  309 

and  never  had  cause  to  suspect  the  existence  of 
a  Lloyd's  agent  in  the  place.  But  no  sooner  did 
it  become  evident  that  some  vessels  must  be 
wrecked,  than  this  worthy  appeared  on  the  beach, 
surrounded  by  a  posse  of  natives,  bearing  tackles, 
rollers,  boats,  and  divers  other  contrivances  to 
facilitate  the  safe  landing  of  the  crews.  And 
scarce  was  the  Margaret  abandoned  by  the  crew, 
than  this  master  spirit  of  the  storm  was  seen 
climbing  up  her  side,  intent  to  seal  up  everything 
movable,  and  guard  the  vessel  and  all  within  her 
from  marauding  hands.  While  she  was  lying  at 
anchor  in  the  Bay,  he  had  no  business  with  her, 
No  sooner  was  she  wrecked,  than  she  was  so 
entirely  under  his  charge,  that  her  own  captain, 
wanting  some  sail-twine  which  was  left  on  board, 
was  obliged  on  the  followiDg  day  to  pui  chase  it  of 
the  agent. 


810  WHALING    AND    FISHINd. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

JONSEQUENOES  of  the  wreck— A  new  crew — Scotch-English — Usei 
of  a  barometer — A  South-easter  Squall — Return  to  Port 
Louis — Ship  for  England — The  Pauline  Houghton — Talking 
to  the  Mate — Our  crew — Paddy — An  examination  in  Seaman- 
ship— The  ship — Her  rotten  rigging — The  captain's  daily 
Siesta — The  mate  gets  himself  into  trouble — How  to  gain 
the  respect  of  a  tyrant — Shooting  at  a  mark — The  Trades — 
Paddy's  last  torture — Short  handed — Sufferings — Recuperat- 
ing— Seeking  a  berth — The  last  act  of  tyranny — Paying  off- 
A  "  Recommendation." 

As  BEFORE  mentioned,  our  captain  was  part 
/wner  of  the  Margaret,  which  vessel  was  now 
wrecked.  Among  her  crew  were  four  apprentices, 
Scotch  boys,  belonging  to  Peterhead,  where  the 
Annie  was  built.  These  boys,  being  now  without 
a  vessel,  but  still  having  claims  to  wages  and 
employment,  Captain  McDonald  determined  to 
take  on  board  the  Annie,  discharging  four  seamen 
to  make  room  for  them. 

Accordingly,  on  the  second  morning  after  the 
gale,  the  skipper  came  on  board.  He  called  us 
aft,  and  asked  who  of  us  desired  to  leave  the  ves- 
sel here.  Every  one  at  once  expressed  this  desire. 
Scotch  Jack,  in  his  dry,  bantering  way,  which 
irritated  the  skipper  exceedingly,  said  that  lie 


SCOTCH    JACK.  311 

dearly  loved  the  vessel,  and  her  officers,  and  would 
not  leave  on  any  account,  but  for  the  fact  that  he 
had  a  wife  and  family  at  Cape  Town,  who,  he 
feared,  needed  his  protection. 

"  You  impudent  varlet,  I've  a  mind  to  keep  you, 
as  punishment  for  your  sauce,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  Do  so,  if  y;u  please,"  answered  Jack ;  "  I  don't 
like  to  stay  longer  from  my  family,  but  you  have 
such  an  agreeable  way  with  you  that  I  could 
easily  find  it  in  niy  heart  to  make  the  sacrifice." 

This  allusion  to  the  captain's  "  agreeable  way '' 
capped  the  climax.  Foaming  at  the  mouth,  he 
advanced  toward  Jack,  who  stood,  meekly  smiling, 
before  him.  He  dared  not  strike  him.  A  single 
blow  would  have  been  the  signal  for  a  general 
melee,  in  which,  although  the  crew  would  have 
doubtless  suffered  for  it  afterward,  he  knew  he 
would  fare  very  roughly. 

So  the  worthy  man  contented  himself  with 
applying  to  Jack  all  manner  of  opprobrious  epi- 
thets, calling  him  a  lazy  scoundrel,  a  mutinous 
rascal,  and  declaring  that  he  was  not  deserving  of 
so  good  a  craft  as  the  Annie,  and  could  not  appre 
ciate  the  generous  treatment  he  had  received.  All 
this  Jack  bore  with  imperturbable  gravity. 

Bat  when  the  skipper,  stung  possibly  by  his 
coolness,  ventured  to  call  him  "  no  sailor,"  Jack, 
fire  flashing  from  his  eyes,  stepped  rp  to  him  and 
said,  "You  wretched  North-counvrymar — you 
talk  of  sailorship.  There  never  was  a  sailor  in  all 
your  miserable  place.  There  is  not  in  a  million 


312  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

of  you  enough  soul  to  make  one  seaman.  You 
are  fit  for  nothing  but  to  tyrannize  over  better  men 
than  yourself:  you  and  your  booby  brother.  You 
remember  Glencoe.  I  wish  your  whole  infernal 
clan  had  been  killed  there,  that  there  might  have 
been  none  of  the  ugly  brood  left." 

This  last  remark  was  in  allusion  to  the  famed 
massacre  of  Glencoe,  where  almost  the  entire  clan 
of  McDonald  was  destroyed. 

The  skipper  cowered  under  Jack's  glance,  and 
contented  himself  by  ordering  us  all  forward. 

We  now  fully  expected  to  have  "leave  to 
retire,"  as  Jack  called  it.  In  the  course  of  the 
forenoon,  however,  the  cook  whispered  to  us  that 
only  four  were  to  be  discharged.  Who  is  the 
unfortunate,  fated  to  stay  ?  was  a  question  asked 
with  some  misgivings  by  each.  Even  Jack  waa 
troubled  by  the  fear  that  the  captain  would  retain 
him,  and  on  the  passage  home  pay  him  up  for  his 
saucy  language. 

"  If  he  does,  as  sure  as  I'm  a  living  man,  he'll 
never  leave  Port  Louis  again  with  whole  bones," 
vowed  he. 

At  twelve  o'clock  the  mate  announced  that 
"  Yankee  Charley,"  the  present  writer,  was  to 
remain  on  board.  The  others  were  ordered  to 
prepare  for  going  on  shore  by  the  first  boat  in  the 
afternoon. 

"  I  would  rather  it  was  you  than  me,  my  poor 
fellow,"  said  Jack,  with  a  pitying  smile. 

I  proceeded  straightway  to  the  captain,  and 


A   NEW    CREW. 

requested  permission  to  accompany  the  others  A 
gruff  "  "No  "  was  the  answer ;  follow  ed  after  a  mo- 
ment's consideration  on  his  part,  by  a  more  civil 
refusal,  in  which  he  stated  to  me  the  reason  fcr 
which  he  desired  to  discharge  the  others.  At  the 
same  time,  he  declared  himself  satisfied  with  the 
conduct  of  all  but  "  Scotch  Jack,"  and  ventured 
upon  the  opinion,  that  but  for  him  we  would  all 
have  enjoyed  the  outward  passage  much  more 
than  we  did. 

It  was  not  without  some  sinking  of  the  heart 
that  I  saw  my  shipmates  take  a  joyful  leave  of 
the  Annie.  They  had  no  pay  to  take,  and  had 
but  seven  shillings  (not  quite  two  dollars),  among 
the  four.  Nevertheless  they  were  as  jovial  as 
though  their  pockets  were  lined  with  rupees. 

"  Give  my  regards  to  the  consignee  and  his 
family,  in  Port  Louis,  Captain  McDonald,"  were 
Jack's  last  words,  as  the  surf-boat  shoved  off. 

The  returning  boat  brought  on  board  four  green- 
looking  Scotch  boys,  ranging  from  fourteen  to 
twenty  years  of  age.  They  looked  at  me  with 
evident  suspicion,  and  sat  apart  in  the  forecastle 
at  supper,  devouring  their  tea  and  biscuit  without 
any  attempt  at  establishing  a  friendship.  For 
this  I  cared  but  little,  as  their  acquaintance  was 
little  desirable.  But  their  language  was  a  sore 
thing  to  ears  like  mine,  unaccustomed  to  hear  the 
King's  English  treated  disrespectfully.  For  a 
while  I  listened,  in  the  vain  hope  of  understand- 
ing somewhat  of  the  jargon  which  they  called 


314  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

English.     Yain  hope,  truly.     It  was  worse 
the   French   upon  which  I  had   months  ago  ex- 
hausted all  my  powers  of  understanding. 

But  the  worst  was  yet  to  come.  On  the  morn- 
ing following  the  advent  of  our  new  crew,  the 
mate  came  out  ten  times  more  Scotch  than  ever ; 
and  when,  not  understanding  an  order  he  gave,  I 
asked  him  to  explain  himself  in  English,  he 
gravely  asked  if  that  was  not  English,  meaning 
the  patois  in  which  he  had  spoken.  The  majority 
rules,  even  on  shipboard.  While  our  old  crew 
was  yet  on  board,  the  plain  "  Anglo-Saxon  "  car- 
ried the  day  triumphantly,  and  more  than  once 
Scotch  Jack  took  occasion  to  rally  the  officers 
upon  their  unintelligible  Scotch  English,  by  ask- 
ing them  if  such  a  language  was  permitted  be« 
neath  the  British  Union -Jack.  But  now  the 
other  side  was  in  the  majority,  and  it  shortly 
began  to  be  whispered  about  among  the  boys, 
that  I  could  not  understand  plain  English. 

This  was  good  enough  to  laugh  at.  But  when 
some  days  after  we  left  port,  the  captain  in  a  fit 
of  unusual  candor  owned  that  he  did  not  under- 
stand more  than  half  I  said,  the  matter  assumed 
to  me  a  graver  air,  and  I  heartily  advised  him  to 
procure  a  grammar  and  dictionary  of  the  English 
language. 

Our  return  cargo  for  Port  Louis  consisted  of 
gait,  sheep,  and  butter.  In  one  week  after  our 
change  of  crews  we  were  loaded.  We  got  under 
way  with  a  fine  but  rather  stiff  North-wester — a 


GETTING    LNDER    WAT.  315 

wind  that  blows  right  out  of  the  hart  or.  The 
top -gallant  masts  and  top -gallant  and  royal  yards 
had  been  sent  aloft  the  day  before.  One  anchoi 
was  on  the  bow. 

Before  we  broke  ground  on  the  other,  the  fore- 
topsail  was  set.  On  heaving  "  short  stay  a-peak  " 
the  anchor  broke  ground,  and  before  we  could  run 
it  up  to  the  bows,  had  caught  a  fair  half  of  all  the 
surf-boat  lines  in  the  bay.  In  vain  we  tugged  at 
the  windlass.  In  vain  we  lowered  and  backed  the 
topsail.  In  vain  we  payed  out  chain.  The  lines 
were  fast  about  the  anchor  flukes,  and  remained 
there.  Finally,  after  wasting  an  hour  in  fruitless 
efforts  to  clear  ourselves,  the  skipper  ordered  all 
sail  to  be  set  that  she  would  carry ;  this  done,  wo 
bore  gallantly  seaward,  with  an  anchor  and  fifteen 
f-vthoms  of  chain  overboard. 

When  we  were  two  miles  from  land  the  vessel 
was  hove  to,  while  we  hove  up,  catted,  and  fished 
the  anchor.  Three  hours  were  consumed  in  clear- 
ing and  coiling  down  the  stiff  coir  lines  and  haw- 
sers with  which  the  anchor  was  encumbered. 
Some  of  them  were  from  thirty  to  fifty  fathoms 
long.  I  dare  say  the  surf-boatmen  did  not  spare 
their  maledictions  at  our  carelessness. 

The  passage  to  Port  Louis  was  sufficiently  une- 
ventful. I  learned  somewhat  of  Scotch  clannish- 
ness,  and  a  good  deal  of  Scotch  brogue.  I  learned, 
that  to  speer  meant  to  look — that  a  dibble  was  a 
spoon — that  in  short,  Scotch  and  English  were 
two  different  languages.  And  I  arrived,  probably, 


316  WHALING    AND    F13HINO. 

at  a  better  understanding  of  "Burns's  delightful 
songs  and  poems,  than  I  would  else  ever  have 
attained. 

It  was  on  this  voyage  that  I  saw  illustrated  to 
better  advantage  than  ever  before,  the  uses  of  a 
barometer.  Our  captain  owned  a  most  excellent 
one,  and  by  long  study  had  made  himself  a 
scientific  observer  of  its  mercurial  motions.  I 
have  before  stated,  that  to  watch  the  compass  was 
his  greatest  delight.  Next  in  importance  to  this 
was  the  barometer.  When  on  deck,  particularly 
on  this  homeward  passage,  he  vibrated  regularly 
between  the  binnacle  and  the  barometer.  When 
at  dinner,  he  would  look  up  to  see  how  she  headed, 
and  then  rise  to  glance  at  the  barometer.  In  the 
night,  if  his  eyes  opened  to  look  at  the  compass 
overhead,  his  mouth  at  the  same  time  opened  to 
shout  "  how's  the  barometer,  Jims?  " 

I  must  own  that  much  trouble  was  saved  us  by 
his  close  watch  of  this  weather  gauge.  The  Afri- 
can coast  is  squally.  The  squalls  do  not  rise 
gradually  and  perceptibly,  as  in  other  latitudes, 
but  burst  suddenly  upon  a  vessel,  giving  no  pre- 
vious warning  to  the  most  watchful  mariner.  But 
by  the  aid  of  our  faithful  barometer  the  approach 
of  one  of  these  unwelcome  visitors  could  be  fore- 
told some  hours. 

Thus,  we  would  be  going  along  with  studding- 
sails  set,  under  a  press  of  canvas,  and  with  a 
good  and  fair  breeze;  no  sign  in  the  heavens 
would  indicate  a  change.  While  congratulating 


A   SOUTH-EASTER    SQUALL.  317 

ourselves,  perhaps,  on  the  steadiness  of  the  wind, 
and  the  fine  progress  we  were  making,  the  skip- 
per would  order  the  studdingsails  taken  in. 

"  Is  the  poor  man  daft?"  said  Scotch  Jack,  the 
first  time  this  maneuver  was  performed.  The 
studdingsails  in,  the  lighter  sails  would  be  clewed 
up  and  furled.  The  topsail  halyards  were  then 
laid  down,  tacks  and  sheets  were  cleared,  ready 
for  running,  and  all  was  again  expectation.  Often 
an  hour  would  elapse  before  the  squall  broke  upon 
us.  On  these  occasions  there  were  not  wanting 
weather-wise  tars  who  thought  our  Scotch  skipper 
"  o'er  careful."  But  the  event  always  justified  his 
prudence,  and  before  we  got  to  Algoa  Bay,  we, 
the  forward  hands,  acknowledged  that  the  captain 
and  his  weather  glass  were  more  skillful  judges  of 
the  weather  than  the  oldest  tars. 

On  the  passage  to  Port  Louis  I,  for  the  first 
time,  met  one  of  the  South-easter  squalls,  pecu- 
liar to  this  African  coast.  We  had  got  the  wind 
from  the  South-south-east,  and  were  going  along 
merrily  before  it,  with  all  sail  set.  The  weather 
was  balmy,  the  sky  was  filled  with  white  clouds, 
but  no  symptoms  were  there  of  an  approaching 
squall.  Toward  noon  the  air  grew  chilly.  At 
two  o'clock  I,  who  had  moved  about  decks  all  the 
morning  in  my  shirt  sleeves  and  barefooted,  shiv- 
ered at  the  wheel,  though  wrapped  in  a  stout  pea- 
jacket.  The  breeze  was  all  this  time  gradually 
freshening,  and  the  huge,  snowy -white  cloudi 
rolled  up  swiftly  from  he  South-east,  and  covered 


318  WHALING     AND    JFIoHING. 

the  heavens,  leaving  scarcely  a  spot  of  the  bltti 
sky  perceptible. 

At  half  past  two  the  royals  and  top- gallant 
studdingsails  were  taken  in.  Shortly  thereafter, 
a  heavy  white  cloud  appeared  above  the  horizon. 
As  it  developed  itself,  a  small  black  spot  appeared 
in  its  center.  This  would  not  have  been  noticed 
by  an  inattentive  observer.  Yet  this  contained 
the  squall.  As  the  cloud  approached,  the  black 
diffused  itself  over  the  white. 

"  Stand  by  your  top-gallant  halyards,"  said  the 
skipper. 

Now  a  few  drops  of  mixed  hail  and  rain — the 
advance  guards  of  the  squall — fall  upon  deck. 
And  now  the  wind  changes  about  two  points — 
that  is,  to  due  South-east. 

"  Keep  her  off  before  it,"  says  the  captain. 

The  sails  flutter  a  little;  and  then,  with  a 
heavy  shower  of  hail,  the  ice-cold  gust  strikes  us, 
One  strong  sweep  of  the  wind,  which  lasts  not  i 
minute  in  all,  and  all  is  over.  The  hail  turns  to 
rain.  This  ceases.  The  sun  shines  out  brightly. 
The  clouds  disappear.  The  wind  comes  back  to 
South-south-east.  The  sky  resumes  its  clear  blue; 
and  the  air  is  again  balmy  as  before. 

The  blast  was  as  though  some  huge  giant  hart 
blown  a  breath  against  us.  One  almost  deafening 
roar,  and  all  was  past.  It  was  a  singular  phe 
nomenon. 

We  arrived  at  Port  Louis  in  eighteen  days  from 
Algoa  Bay.  Going  on  shore,  I  took  possession 


FRED.  319 

once  more  of  the  room  which  I  had  occupied  pre- 
vious to  my  departure  in  the  Annie.  Here  I  found 
installed,  on  my  return,  a  British  sailor  with 
whom  I  had  once  made  a  voyage  from  Canton  to 
the  Isle  of  France.  We  were  very  happy  to  meet. 
He  told  me  ships  were  exceedingly  scarce.  It  was 
now  the  hurricane  season,  when  the  harbor  of 
Port  Louis  is  not  thought  safe  for  shipping.  At 
this  time  of  the  year  therefore,  business  is  espe- 
cially dull. 

"What  do  you  say  to  shipping  for  England?' 
Baid  Fred  to  me  one  day,  shortly  after  my  arrival, 

"  We  can  never  make  sufficient  here  for  a  start ; 
whereas  if  we  go  to  London  and  thence  to  New 
York,  we  can  save  as  much  off  a  couple  of  voyages 
in  one  of  your  Yankee  ships,  as  will  give  us  a  nice 
start  out  here." 

This  idea  pleased  me.  We  talked  the  matter 
over  a  little  more  at  length,  and  finally  determined 
to  ship  as  soon  as  possible  for  London. 

On  the  morning  following  the  final  settlement 
of  our  plan,  we  walked  down  upon  the  mole,  to 
place  ourselves  in  the  way  of  ship  captains  who 
should  come  ashore  in  search  of  men.  After 
walking  about  awhile,  enjoying  the  cool  shade  of 
a  huge  banian  tree  which  half  covers  the  mold 
and  jetty,  we  proceeded  up  town.  On  the  way  up, 
we  were  hailed  by  a  short,  stout  man,  who  asked 
us  if  we  did  not  want  a  ship. 

"Where  for?"  inquired  Fred. 

"For  London." 


320  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

"  What's  her  name?" 

"The  Pauline  Houghton." 

"  That's  one  of  Blythe's  yellow  abominations,* 
•aid  Fred,  who  prided  himself  on  his  plainness. 

"  She  belongs  to  the  Messrs.  Ely  the,  my  man, 
and  is  a  good  ship,"  was  the  captain's  answer;  foi 
the  individual  who  had  stopped  us  was  her  captain. 

"And  what  may  your  name  be,  Sir?"  asked 
Fred,  more  respectfully. 

"  Captain  Joseph  Smith." 

"Why,"  exclaimed  my  shipmate,  with  an  oath 
which  I  shall  not  set  down  here,  "  You're  the  fel- 
low that  so  misused  your  crew  on  your  outward 
passage,  that  they  preferred  thirty  days  in  jail 
and  the  loss  of  their  hard-earned  wages,  to  going 
home  with  you.  And  now  you  ask  good  men  to 
go  with  you?" 

"  My  crew  were  a  set  of  skulks  and  worthless 
fellows.  Good  men  need  not  fear  ill  treatment 
from  me.  The  wages  are  two  pounds  ten,  and  a 
month's  advance.  Won't  you  go?  " 

"  We'll  think  about  it,"  said  Fred,  as  he  took 
my  arm,  and  walked  off. 

"  Now  Charley,"  continued  he,  "I'm  not  afraid 
to  go  with  that  fellow,  although  doubtless  he  is  au 
outrageous  rascal.  I  know  one  of  the  crew  thai 
i*  now  in  jail.  He  told  me  that  the  mate  used  to 
beat  some  of  the  men  over  the  head  and  shoulders 
with  handspikes,  when  they  did  not  steer  to  suit 
him.  And  they  say,  too,  that  *  infernal  scoundrel 
is  the  best  word  which  issues  from  him," 


FRED    SPEAKS    TO    THE    CAPTAIN.        321 

"But  then,"  said  I,  "a  man  is  foolish  to  permit 
i  *  other  to  either  curse  or  abuse  him." 

"  That's  just  my  opinion.     And  I  have  an  i 
that  we  can  make  a  homeward  passage  with  t 
fellow,  without  a  hard  word  passing  between  u 
I  can  do  my  duty,  and  I've  seen  you  do  yours,  my 
boy — though  you  are  a  Yankee" — added  he  crab- 
bedly.     "  So  let's  go  dowr   and  talk  to  captain 
Joseph  Smith.'" 

We  immediately  walked  down  toward  the  Pau- 
line Hougb  ton's  consignee's  house.  There  meeting 
our  cnptain,  Fred,  with  a  degree  of  candor  which 
must  have  been  vastly  annoying  to  that  worthy, 
proceeded  to  tell  him  that  we  had  heard  from  his 
last  crew  that  he  and  his  mate  were  a  pair  of  great 
scoundrels,  and  that  his  old  tub  (meaning  the  Pau- 
line H.)  was  scarcely  seaworthy ;  but  that  as  he 
wanted  hands,  and  we  desired  strongly  to  go  to 
London,  we  had  concluded  to  go  with  him. 

"  This  lad,"  continued  Fred,  pointing  to  me, 
"  has  sailed  in  the  worst  craft  out  of  Port  Louis, 
and  acquitted  himself  respectably.  As  for  me — 
if  you  or  your  mate  can  teach  me  any  part  of  my 
duty,  I'll  give  you  leave  to  handspike  me  three 
times  a  day.  But  we  have  neither  of  us  been  used 
to  cursing  or  blows.  And  I  give  you  fair  warn- 
mg  that  we  shall  return  both  with  interest.  CivD 
treatment  will  get  a  power  of  work  out  of  us. 
8ut  when  a  man  treats  me  uncivilly,  he  makes 
nothing." 

This  sounded  to  me  a  great  deal  like  bravado, 
21 


WHALING     AND     PISHING. 

But  1  suppose  it  was  necessary  under  the  cu'cum- 
stances.  However  unpleasantly  Fred's  harangue 
may  have  affected  the  captain,  he  restrained  his 
wrath,  and  smilingly  invited  us  into  the  store,  to 
sign  the  articles. 

This  done,  we  promised  to  be  at  the  landing 
stairs  by  three  o'clock  thav  afternoon,  with  ou) 
effects.  The  rest  of  his  new  crew  were  already  on 
board.  The  vessel  was  to  ^1  on  the  following 
day. 

By  half-past  three,  we  were  alongside  the  Pau- 
line Houghton. 

"Where  to,  now,  Charley?"  hailed  an  old  ship 
mate  from  a  country  vessel's  bows,  as  in  company 
with  our  new  captain  we  were  being  pulled  on 
board. 

"To  London." 

"What!  in  that  dirt-colored  hulk  in  the  outei 
tier?  Well,  you  have  been  and  gone  and  done  it, 
my  poor  fellow.  Don't  you  stand  any  of  that  fel- 
low's nonsense.  If  you  thrash  him  once,  he'll  be 
good  as  pie  to  you  afterward/'  and  my  jolly 
friend  tipped  our  savage-looking  skipper  a  wink. 

Fred  smiled  grimly  at  the  banter,  while  I  judged 
it  best  to  say  nothing  in  answer. 

A  volley  of  oaths  from  the  mate,  directed  at  some 
man  who  was  trying  to  cross  a  top-gallan-t  yard, 
saluted  our  ears  as  soon  as  we  got  within  hearing 
of  our  new  vessel. 

We  looked  inquiringly  at  the  skipper,  who  said, 
11  I'll  stop  that  as  soon  as  we  get  alongside." 


THE    MATE. 

We  had  just  got  our  chests  secured  in  the  fore- 
castle and  were  looking  about  the  forward  deck  a 
little,  when  the  mate  hailed  us  with,  "Now,  then, 
d — n  your  eyes!  get  aloft  there,  and  help  cross 
that  topgallant  yard.  We'll  have  no  loafers  on 
board  this  ship." 

«  Come  aft  with  me,  Charley,"  said  Fred,  quietly. 

Wo  walked  together  up  to  the  mate. 

"This  young  man  and  I  shipped  here  to  do  sea- 
men's duty,  Mr.  Mate,  whatever  your  name  is," 
said  Fred,  coolly;  "we  don't  want  abuse.  We  are 
going  in  this  vessel  to  London ;  and  I  want  to  give 
you  warning,  that  if  you  ever  curse  at  either  of  us 
again,  while  we  are  in  your  ugly  tub,  you'll  have 
us  both  in  your  hair.  We  can  do  our  duty  with- 
out that." 

The  mate  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  us,  in 
speechless  surprise,  for  a  few. moments;  ther 
uttered  in  a  low  tone  an  ejaculation  to  the  effect, 
that  he  "hoped  to  be"  quite  the  reverse  of  saved, 
"  if  that  was  not  cool;"  then  scrutinized  our  coun- 
tenances a  little  more  closely,  and  finally  spoke  up 
in  a  quiet,  gentlemanly  manner, 

"  Well,  men,  go  aloft  and  cross  that  foretopgal- 
Jant  yard.  Send  those  men  down  who  are  up 
there.  I'll  send  you  up  the  sail  as  soon  as  you  are 
crossed." 

We  had  gained  the  victory.  From  that  day  to 
the  end  of  a  long  passage  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  days,  no  matter  how  provoking  was 
the  wind,  weather,  or  vessel,  neither  captain  or 


324  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

mate  ever  treated  us  in  any  but  the  most  gentle. 
manly  way. 

"That  comes  of  speaking  up  like  men  with 
nouls,  my  lad,"  said  Fred,  as  we  jumped  aloft  to 
do  the  mate's  bidding. 

We  sailed  on  the  following  morning.  I  have 
before  stated  that  in  Port  Louis,  vessels  are  moored 
with  four  anchors,  two  ahead  and  two  astern.  As 
it  would  be  exceedingly  inconvenient  to  weigh 
these  anchors  by  the  ship's  capstan  or  windlass, 
mooring  boats  are  supplied  by  the  harbor  master. 
Each  of  these  boats  has  a  diver  among  the  crew. 
This  man  takes  a  stout  rope  in  his  mouth,  and 
dives  to  the  bottom.  Here  finding  an  anchor,  he 
puts  the  rope  through  its  ring,  and  brings  up  the 
end  with  him.  By  this  the  anchor  is  hove  to  the 
water's  edge,  when  it  is  taken  alongside  of  the 
vessel,  and  stowed  away. 

These  divers  have  great  skill  in  their  vocation. 
A  few  days  before  we  sailed,  the  captain  of  a  ves- 
sel had  lost  overboard  a  gold  watch  and  chain. 
His  vessel  lay  in  twenty  fathoms  water  (one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet).  A  diver,  hearing  of  the 
mishap,  offered  his  services  to  recover  the  lost 
property.  The  place  whence  it  dropped  wa§ 
pointed  out  to  him,  as  nearly  as  possible.  He  dove 
to  the  bottom,  and  almost  immediately  brought  up 
the  watch  and  chain.  Ten  rupees  (five  dollars) 
was  all  he  asked  for  this  service. 

Well,  we  sailed.  Our  crew  consisted  of  eight 
men.  The  vessel  should  have  carried  ten;  but 


OUR    CREW. 

the  41  repute  in  which  she  stood  among  seamen 
in  Port  Louis,  made  it  impossible  to  procure 
more. 

Had  these  eight  been  able  seamen,  we  would 
liave  gotten  along  tolerably  well.  But  two  of 
them  were  runaway  soldiers;  one  was  an  Irish 
man-of-war's  man,  who  had  served  three  years  in 
the  receiving-ship  at  Portsmouth,  in  England,  in 
the  capacity  of  ship's  tailor,  and  had  afterward 
somehow  strayed  out  to  the  Isle  of  France ;  and 
another  was  a  deserter  from  some  outward-bound 
American  whaleship.  None  of  these  four  could 
steer  our  heavily-laden  vessel,  so  that  the  entire 
labor  of  steering,  except  in  very  fine  weather,  fell 
upon  the  other  four  of  us — no  slight  addition  to 
duties  already  sufficiently  onerous. 

Our  runaway  soldiers  were  the  best  of  the 
greenies.  Eejoicing  in  their  new  liberty,  they 
were  ready  and  willing  to  do  all  they  could,  and 
quickly  learned  all  the  minor  and  less  important 
duties  of  seamen. 

The  whaleman  was  sick  nearly  the  entire  pas- 
sage. He  was  paying  a  fearful  penalty  for  past 
excesses.  Aside  from  his  illness,  he  was  a  spirit- 
less creature,  who  permitted  the  officers  to  treat 
him  as  they  chose — which  was  in  a  most  rascally 
way,  to  be  sure. 

But  our  Paddy  was  a  genius.  He  had  been  told 
that  "there  is  no  such  word  as  can't,  at  sea." 
Accordingly,  he  took  especial  care  never  to  utter 
this  forbidden  monosyllable. 


326  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

"Paddy,  can  you  steer?"  asked  the  mate  of  himk 
on  the  day  we  sailed. 

"Yes,  sir,"  was  Paddy's  ready  reply. 

No  more  questions  were  asked.  But  whon  the 
decks  were  cleared  up,  and  the  watches  chosen 
'Send  the  gentleman  from  Ireland  to  the  wheel!' 
sung  out  the  captain. 

Accordingly,  he  took  the  wheel,  and  in  less  than 
cwo  minutes  had  the  vessel  all  in  the  wind,  sails 
shivering,  sheets  slatting,  and  the  spanker  boom 
nearly  knocking  him  overboard. 

"I  thought  you  could  steer! "  shrieked  the  skip- 
per, in  a  rage,  at  the  same  time  applying  a  rope's 
end  freely  to  Paddy's  shoulders. 

"  I  thought  so,  too,"  submissively  answered  the 
Irishman. 

"Do  you  know  the  compass,  at  all?"  he  was 
asked,  after  we  had  once  more  got  the  ship  upon 
her  course. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  What's  this  point,  then?" 

«  That's  North." 

A  Eight.     Now  what  is  this  next  to  it?" 

To  this  there  was  no  answer.  Paddy  had  made 
*,p  his  mind  not  to  confess  ignorance  of  anything, 
And  when  he  knew  nothing,  he  wisely  held  hig 
togue. 

After  giving  him  a  hearty  cursing,  the  captain 
gent  him  forward.  Here  he  received  from  tho 
sailors  another  series  of  curses,  for  shipping  under 
false  pretences  He  bore  it  all  in  dogged  silence, 


PADDY.  327 

That  right,  the  second  mate,  in  whose  watch  he 
was,  told  him  to  slack  up  the  foretopgallant  clew- 
line, which  happened  to  be  too  tight.  He  went 
forward,  and  let  go  the  foretopsail  halyards,  car- 
rying  away  by  this  stupid  trick,  both  foretopgal- 
lant sheets.  We  of  the  watch  below  were  awak 
ened  by  his  cries  to  the  second  mate  for  mercy. 
We  lost  two  hours'  sleep  by  his  blunder,  and  did 
not  therefore  feel  sorry  that  he  got  a  beating, 
severe  as  it  was.  He  bore  the  marks  of  it  upon 
him  for  nearly  a  month. 

We  were  a  week  from  land  ere  we  arrived  at  a 
full  understanding  of  all  the  length,  breadth  and 
depth  of  his  ignorance.  He  actually  knew  no 
more  about  a  ship,  than  a  person  who  had  never 
Aeen  one.  When  sent  aloft  to  furl  the  royal,  he 
whispered  to  one  standing  near  the  main  rigging, 
"  Is  it  the  highest  one?" 

On  receiving  an  affirmative  answer,  (accompa- 
nied, I  must  say,  with  a  curse,)  he  hurried  aloft. 
But  now  instead  of  rolling  up  the  sail  and  passing 
the  gasket  lines  about  it,  he  sat  on  the  yard  and 
looked  sapiently  down  upon  deck. 

Such  a  look  of  angry  astonishment  as  filled  the 
mate's  face  upon  this  occasion,  I  never  saw  equaled. 

"Why  don't  you  furl  the  sail,  you  booby?'' 
he  shouted. 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir ! "  answered  Paddy,  readily 
enough,  but  never  stirring. 

"  Roll  it  up,  you  infernal  stupid  !  and  come  down 
here  quick;  I  want  to  thrash  you! "  shouted  tha 


WHALING     AND     FISHING. 

skipper,  dancing  about  the  quarter  deck  -with 
rage. 

"Oh!"  said  Paddy,  as  though  the  whole  idea 
had  suddenly  burst  upon  him.  And  then  he  began 
to  roll  up  the  royal.  But  as  he  was  in  ev'dent 
ignorance  of  the  existence  of  gaskets,  when  he  got 
the  middle  rolled  snugly  he  found  sufficient  to  do 
to  hold  that,  without  attempting  more.  He  cast 
another  despairing  look  upon  deck. 

One  of  us  was  now  dispatched  aloft  to  help  and 
show  him  how  to  take  in  a  sail.  Eut  Paddy,  look 
on  as  carefully  as  he  would,  could  never  be  taught 
to  perform  this  operation. 

He  did  not  know  a  single  rope,  and  indeed,  all 
our  efforts  to  teach  him  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing, was  no  wiser  in  this  regard  when  he  left 
the  barque  in  London,  than  when  he  came  on 
board,  in  Port  Louis.  Seeing  the  poor,  foolish 
fellow  so  much  abused,  I  took  pity  on  him,  and  in 
the  moonlight  night  watches  used  to  go  around 
the  ship  with  him,  to  tell  him  the  names  and  uses 
of  the  various  ropes. 

Thus,  I  would  say,  "  Now,  Paddy,  this  is  the 
forebrace— this  is  the  foretopsail  brace — this  the 
foretopgallant  brace — and  this  the  foreroyal 
brace  ;"  making  him  touch  each  o  le  in  succession } 
and  repeat  its  name  over  after  mo. 

"  This  is  the  maintopsail  clewline,  and  this  the 
buntline — these  two  the  maintopgallant  clewline 
and  buntline.  Now,"  touching  the  forebrace, 
"  what  rope  is  this  ?" 


PADDY.  329 

"Be  Jabers,  Misther  Charley/'  he  would  reply, 
after  an  awkward  pause,  "  is  it  a  clewline  ?  " 

Night  after  night,  I  worried  myself  and  him, 
to  teach  him  at  least  a  few  of  the  most  important 
ropes.  But  all  to  no  use.  To  the  last,  he  used  to 
go  to  the  maintopsail  clewline  when  the  forebrace 
was  to  be  pulled  upon.  And  on  the  very  last  day 
of  our  voyage,  as  we  were  being  towed  up  the 
Thames,  Paddy,  told  to  slack  up  the  spanker  vang, 
let  run  the  peak  halyards,  nearly  killing  himself 
by  the  operation.  But  he  never  uttered  the  word 
can't.  This  had  been  drilled  into  him. 

Such  extreme  ignorance  was  almost  incredible 
to  seamen.  We  took  upon  us  to  cross  questior 
him  as  to  his  outward  voyage — from  London  to 
Port  Louis. 

"How  did  you  get  along  there,  Paddy?  Did 
not  they  beat  you  occasionally?  " 

But  Paddy  preserved  a  judicious  silence  upon 
this  part  of  his  history. 

Had  not  the  officers  beaten  him  so  much,  he 
would  have  fared  hardly  in  the  forecastle.  But 
the  daily — sometimes  almost  hourly — ropes-end- 
ings he  received  at  the  captain's  hands  forced  us 
to  take  pity  upon  him. 

Some  others  of  our  crew  were  not  much  better 
treated  than  Paddy.  In  fact  our  officers  had  a 
itrong  inclination  to  ill  use  any  one  that  would 
stand  abuse,  and  it  was  only  by  a  continual  show 
of  independence,  and  a  readiness  to  resist  all 


330  WHALING   AND    FISHING. 

attempts  at  special  tyranny,  that  four  of  us — ift 
eluding  Fred  and  myself — were  able  to  retain  a 
peaceful  and  comparatively  comfortable  position 
an  board. 

Although  the  mate  had,  after  Fred's  "  personal 
explanation  "  on  our  arrival  on  board,  shown  no 
farther  inclination  to  use  his  billingsgate  upon  us, 
he  had  clearly  borne  us  in  mind.  Fred  had  boast- 
ed of  his  sailorship — and  unluckily,  of  mine  too. 
During  the  first  ten  days  out  from  port  the  mate 
made  us  earn  the  reputation  Fred  had  given  to 
ourselves.  From  one  piece  of -rigging  work  to 
another,  we  were  jointly  and  separately  sent  over 
the  entire  ship.  To-day  a  brace  to  splice — a  very 
neat  piece  of  work  on  board  an  Indiaman,  as  it 
requires  that  two  ropes-ends  be  joined  together 
in  such  manner  as  that  the  points  of  junction  shall 
be  scarcely  discernible.  To-morrow  a  hawser  to 
crown,  and  the  next  day  some  other  more  compli- 
cated rigging  to  be  fitted. 

I  must  do  the  mate  the  justice  to  own,  that  he 
was  himself  an  excellent  seaman  He  knew  much 
more  about  a  vessel  than  officers  generally — and 
was  not  at  all  backward  in  making  known  his 
knowledge. 

"  If  he  catches  us  tripping,  Fred,"  said  I,  "  we'll 
he  in  a  bad  box." 

"  If  he  catches  us  tripping,  my  lad,  he'll  have 
to  know  more  about  a  ship  than  I  could  ever  find 
out  about  ore." 


ON    TRIAL.  331 

We  passed  the  examination,  and  our  not  very 
good  friend,  the  mate,  was  in  consequence  very 
kind  to  us  ever  after. 

"  And  now,"  said  he,  one  Monday  morning, 
"  bring  aft  your  palms  and  needles,  and  I'll  sei 
you  to  work  on  some  sails." 

All  day  he  sat  by  us,  watching  us  as  we  plied  our 
needles  on  the  soft  canvas,  and  occasionally  hand- 
ing a  more  than  usually  difficult  piece  of  work  to 
one  or  other  of  us. 

Frod  smiled  confidently ;  whereas  I  was  annoyed, 
not  knowing  what  moment  some  by  me  before 
unheard  of  "job"  might  be  placed  in  my  hands, 
by  failing  in  which  I  should  lose  all  the  credit 
gained  by  ten  days  hard  sailoring. 

So  it  is  in  British  ships.  Let  a  man,  be  he  never 
so  ready  and  expert,  but  fail  in  one  minute  par- 
ticular of  seamanship,  and  he  is  counted  "  worse 
than  a  dog." 

Toward  evening  the  mate  handed  me  a  piece  of 
bolt  rope  to  splice  in,  where  a  part  on  the  sail  was 
defective.  He  stood  by  me  while  I  performed  the 
task. 

"  That's  not  the  way  to  do  that,"  said  he  sternly, 
after  watching  me  for  a  while. 

Fred  looked  up  with  some  alarm.  But  it  hap- 
pened tha4  in  this  I  was  confident  of  being  right. 

"  That  is  the  way  it  is  done  in  American 
ghips,  sir." 

"No  matter;  I  want  it  done  in  ship  shape 
None  of  your  Yankee  botch-work  for  me." 


332  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

"  The  Yankees  don't  as  a  general  thing  deal  in 
botch-work,"  replied  I.  "I'll  make  the  splice,  and 
if  you  can  draw  it,  or  if  it  is  clumsy,  or  aj. .  to  fall 
apart,  I'll  give  up." 

He  waited  patiently  till  I  was  done  ;  then  took 
my  "job  "  and  tried  to  pull  it  to  pieces.  Failing 
in  this,  as  I  knew  he  would,  he  declared  himself— 
somewhat  grudgingly — to  be  content;  and  hence- 
forth, with  the  exception  of  an  occasional  few 
hours  work  aloft,  Fred  and  I  were  employed  on 
the  quarter-deck  sewing  "on  sails ;  a  much  more 
pleasant  task  than  swinging  about  on  masts  or 
yards,  exposed  to  the  broiling  sun. 

The  barque  was  old.  Her  rigging  was  in  a 
wretched  condition  ;  and  after  every  gale  all  hands 
were  busied  for  two  or  three  days  in  repairing 
damages.  Three  times,  in  the  course  of  our  pas- 
sage, a  topsail  came  thundering  down  on  the  cap, 
with  men  upon  it.  Twice  Fred  and  I  were  on  the 
falling  yard,  having  been  sent  aloft  to  make  some 
repairs ;  and  each  time  we  had  what  landsmen 
would  call  a  narrow  escape.  There  was  not  on 
board  sufficient  rigging  to  reeve  new  halyards,  and 
so  the  old  had  to  be  spliced — only  to  part  again. 

Once,  when  reefing,  in  a  gale,  the  lift,  a  rope 
which  maintains  the  yard  in  its  horizontal  posi- 
tion, and  on  which  the  man  at  the  earing  depends 
for  support,  gave  way.  I  happened  to  be  r.t  the 
earing.  Had  it  not  been  for  Fred's  quick 
grasp  of  my  hair,  I  should  have  dropped  into  the 
water., 


THE  CAPTAIN'S  SIESTA.  353 

So  entirely  rotten  was  everything  aloft,  that  no 
one  felt  it  safe  to  perform  the  usual  services  to  the 
sails.  It  was  at  the  imminent  risk  of  life  that 
&ny  one  put  his  foot  into  the  rigging.  Neverthe- 
less, although  each  felt  this,  it  was  never  alluded 
to  ii.  the  forecastle.  It  would  have  been  unsailor 
like  to  own  to  the  possession  of  such  a  thought. 
And  there  was,  among  those  of  the  crew  who 
claimed  to  be  seamen,  as  much  readiness  to  go 
aloft,  upon  however  irksome  or  really  dangerous 
a  duty,  as  though  the  rigging  had  been  bran  new 
from  the  rope-walk. 

We  were  but  a  very  short  time  on  board  before 
we  became  aware  that  our  officers  drank.  The 
captain,  more  especially,  took  his  bowl  of  grog 
regularly,  after  dinner,  and  from  it  relapsed  into 
a  stupid  sleep,  which  he  dignified  with  the  name 
of  siesta.  Awaking  from  this,  he  would  come  upon 
deck  and  catechise  poor  Paddy  on  various  points 
in  seamanship ;  each  failure  in  rendering  a  cor- 
rect answer  being  attended  by  a  blow  from  the 
rope  next  at  hand. 

On  Sunday,  if  the  day  was  fine — and  most  Sun- 
days at  sea  are  pleasant  days — the  mate  also  took 
a  siesta.  After  these  occasions  he  would  come 
upon  deck,  looking  thunder  at  the  crew.  Wo  to 
Paddy  if  he  ^ame  in  his  way  then.  There  were 
"evasions  of  this  kind,  when  he  could  hardly  force 
Liimself  to  treat  Fred  or  myself  civilly.  But  there 
was  something  of  warning  in  old  Fred's  eye, 
which  probably  told  him  that  to  attack  either  of 


334  WHALING    AND    FISHINO. 

us,  wiin  Billingsgate  or  blows,  would  only  get  him 
into  trouble.     So  we  escaped. 

Less  fortunate  were  the  rest.  One  Sabbath 
afternoon,  while  standing  at  the  wheel,  I  heard  a 
scuffle  forward,  and  stepping  to  the  side  behold 
the  mate  chasing  a  poor  runaway  soldier,  one  of 
our  crew,  with  a  handspike.  Just  then  an  athletic; 
fellow,  a  seaman,  who  had  been  rather  remiss  in 
asserting  his  independence,  came  out  of  the  fore- 
castle. The  mate  immediately  attacked  him, 
ordering  him,  with  threats,  to  go  below.  This 
roused  George.  He  stepped  to  the  windlass  and 
sat  down,  saying,  "  I'm  tired  of  staying  below,  and 
find  it  pleasanter  on  deck,  just  now." 

"You  hound,"  screamed  the  mate,  white  with 
drunken  rage,  "take  that,  and  go  below,"  hitting 
him  a  blow  on  the  arm  with  a  handspike. 

George  seized  the  handspike,  and  tossed  it  over 
the  lee  bow,  saying,  as  he  grasped  the  mate  by  the 
shoulders,  and  turned  his  face  aft,  "  Now  go  into 
your  drunken  cabin,  blast  you,  or  I'll  put  you 
where  the  handspike  is." 

A  little  struggle  ensued,  for  the  mate,  though  a 
bully,  was  not  devoid  of  courage".  But  George 
held  him  as  in  a  vice,  and  the  mate  writhed  help- 
lessly in  his  grasp  till  he  promised  to  go  peace 
ably  aft. 

From  this  time  George  was  also  a  favorite  with 
the  mate.  In  fact  it  seemed  that  to  abuse  him,  or 
resist  him,  was  the  surest  way  to  gain  his  respect 
tnd  favo~. 


A   LITTLE    PISTOL   P11A.CTICE. 

One  quiet  Sabbath  afternoon,  while  just  x>  the 
North  of  Ascension,  the  captain,  waking  up  from 
his  usual  siesta,  appeared  on  deck  with  two  pistols. 
1  wae  at  the  wheel.  It  was  a  dead  calm,  ind  the 
ship  had  scarcely  a  motion  of  any  kind,  so  quiet 
?vas  the  sea. 

"  1  need  a  little  pistol  practice,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, as  he  loaded  his  weapons — two  large  bell- 
mouthed  instruments,  holding  an  ounce  ball  each. 
After  vainly  looking  along  the  smooth  surface  of 
the  water,  for  some  object  at  which  to  aim,  he 
finally  stepped  to  my  side,  standing  about  three 
feet  from  me,  and  aimed  straight  above  his  head. 

"We'll  see  how  nearly  perpendicular  I  can  fire. 
That  will  be  a  good  way  to  practice." 

His  hand  trembled  as  he  fired,  and  presently  we 
heard  the  ball  drop  into  the  water  along  side. 

"  That  was  a  bad  shot;  I  must  do  better  than 
that." 

The  second  ball  dropped  astern.  The  third 
went  through  the  spanker,  and  so  into  the  water 
astern  again.  A  grin  of  satisfaction  spread  over 
his  countenance,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  improv- 
ing. In  the  course  of  half  an  hour's  firing  the  balls 
drcpped  in  the  water  in  all  directions,  possibly 
much  surprising  the  fish  with  whom  they  came  ia 
contact  in  their  course  bottomward. 

Fin  ally,  taking  a  particularly  good  aim,  he  fired, 
and  the  ball  returned  whizzing  to  the  deck,  mak- 
<ng  a  deep  indentation  just  midway  between  th« 
captain  and  myself. 


336  WHALING    AND     FISHING 

"  I  think  we  won't  try  that  any  more.  Greatei 
perfection  is  not  desirable,"  said  he,  as  he  gath- 
ered up  his  ammunition  and  retired  to  the  cabin. 

I  will  confess  to  being  exceedingly  rejoiced  at 
his  determination.  It  was  by  no  means  pleasant 
to  stand  still  and  be  in  this  manner  indirectly 
shot  at. 

Hard  work,  poor  provisions  (and  a  very  small 
allowance  at  that),  and  two  quarts  of  water  per 
day  to  drink  and  cook  with,  with  officers  that 
were  brutes,  and  a  vessel  in  the  last  stage  of  decay 
— all  these  things  make  a  sailor's  life  the  reverse 
of  pleasant.  And  so  we  did  not  even  enjoy  as  one 
ought  the  glorious  region  of  the  South-east  Trades: 
those  purer  skies  and  brighter  stars,  bluer  waves 
and  softer  breezes,  which  he  who  has  once  experi- 
enced will  certainly  never  forget,  nor  ever  think 
on  without  longing  for  their  return. 

On  these  followed  the  tedious  and  exhausting 
calms  of  the  equator.  Then,  after  weeks  of  idle 
drifting  about  at  the  mercy  of  every  chance  cur- 
rent and  catspaw,  came  the  re-invigorating  North- 
east Trades.  And  finally,  the  lowering  heavens 
and  gloomy  sea  of  the  English  Channel.  By  this 
time  we  had  only  three  men  fit  for  duty.  Even 
Paddy  had  at  length  succumbed  to  ill  treatment, 
and  now  lay  despairing  in  his  berth,  little  caring 
for  the  diurnal  threats  of  the  captain,  that  he 
would  hoist  him  on  deck  with  a  tackle. 

The  last  actual  torture  which  this  poor  fellow 
suffered,  frightened  him  into  a  sickness.  Having 


THE     LAST     TORTURE.  337 

one  day,  during  the  captain's  usual  catechising, 
proved  unusually  stupid,  that  worthy,  intent  upon 
a  novel  excitement,  determined  to  hang  his  victim 
ever  the  side  on  a  level  with  the  water's  edge, 
and  there  make  him  scrub  the  long  grass  off  the 
water-line.  A  stout  rope  was  provided,  and 
Paddy,  who  was  a  non-resistant,  was  made  iHst 
and  helplessly  lowered  till  he  was  up  to  the  mid- 
C7le  immersed  in  water. 

"  Now  scrub,  you  scoundrel,"  said  his  tormentor, 
as  in  savage  glee  he  looked  down  at  him. 

Paddy's  entreaties  for  mercy  were  uninter- 
rupted, save  by  an  occasional  sputtering  cry,  fol- 
lowing upon  his  complete  immersion.  For  as  the 
vessel  was  under  strong  headway,  she  once  in  a 
while  careened  over  sufficiently  to  entirely  sub- 
merge the  poor  half-witted-  Irishman. 

There  was  no  actual  danger — the  captain  and 
mate  having  taken  care  to  so  secure  him  as  to 
make  it  impossible  that  he  should  be  lost  over- 
board. But  with  Paddy's  nervous  condition,  and 
constitutional  antipathy  to  water  in  any  shape 
except  as  "  tay,"  he  was  in  mortal  fear. 

After  two  hours  of  suspense,  he  was  once  more 
safely  landed  on  deck.  He  took  immediately  to 
his  berth,  and  did  not  recover  from  the  shock  of 
that  morning  till  two  or  three  days  before  we 
entered  the  West  India  dock. 

Channel  navigation,  hard  at  best,  is  a  torture 
where  it  becomes  necessary  that  three  wretched 
men  shall  perform  the  duties  for  which  an  entire 
22 


338  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

crew  is  not  too  powerful.     Wearied,  sore,  chafed 

in  every  limb,  till  the  blood  flowed  from  our  feet 

s  we  ran  aloft,  and  from  oui  hands  as  we  tugged 

t  sails  or  painfully  dragged  heavy  chain-cables 

ubout  the  deck,  we  at  length  arrived  in  the  Downs. 

Here  the  pilot  declared  it  necessary  to  procure 
A  reinforcement  of  men  from  shore.  And  as  the 
British  Pilot  makes  his  orders  obeyed  by  captain 
as  well  as  men,  our  labors  were  lightened  by  half 
i  dozen  hands,  who  were  engaged  to  assist  in 
taking  the  vessel  into  hei  dock.  Yet  another  day 
of  hard  labor,  and  with  somewhat  joyful  hearts 
we  were  gliding  up  the  crooked  Thames,  behind  a 
lowboat.  The  following  morning  we  hauled  the 
vessel  into  her  dock  and  left  her.  This  was  on 
the  one  hundredth  and  thirty-sixth  day  since  we 
sailed  from  Port  Louis. 

Going  .up  to  the  "  Sailor's  Home,"  I  deposited 
my  luggage,  had  a  refreshing  bath,  trimmed  my 
numerous  sores,  and  at  eleven  o'clock  retired  to 
my  bed,  preferring  sleep  to  the  dinner  which,  was 
ready  an  hour  afterward. 

My  rest,  undisturbed  by  many- dreams,  was  not 
broken  till  nine  o'clock  the  following  morning. 
These  twenty-two  hours  of  sleep  restored  in  some 
degree  my  usual  elasticity,  and  after  another  im- 
mersion in  cold  water,  and  a  hearty  breakfast,  I 
was  almost  myself  again. 

I  had  been  in  London  before,  and  well  knew 
that  no  time  was  to  be  lost  in  securing  a  vessel 
There  is  nearly  always,  in  that  port  a  surplus  of 


SEEKING     A     BERTH.  339 

seamen;  and  many  a  poor  fellow  hab  ^Haggled 
weeks  for  employment,  nearly  starving  the  while, 
before  obtaining  even  a  poor  chance.  I  was  deter- 
mined to  return  to  the  United  States,  and  leave 
British  vessels  henceforth  to  British  tars.  I  there- 
fore immediately  proceeded  to  the  St.  Katherine'g 
dock,  where  most  American  vessels  are  found,  to 
inquire  for  a  chance. 

After  asking  for  a  berth  in  quite  a  number  of 
ships  and  barques,  I  at  last  happened  on  a  barque, 
some  of  whose  hands  had  left  her.  She  was  not 
to  sail  for  several  weeks,  so  the  mate  said.  Never- 
theless, I  resolved  if  possible  to  engage  a  place  on 
her,  rather  waiting  some  time  than  losing  the 
Jiance  altogether.  I  accordingly  sought  out  the 
captain .  To  my  respectful  request  for  employment, 
he  gave  a  gruff  reply,  that  he  was  daily,  almost 
hourly,  importuned  by  a  parcel  of  lime-juicers. 

"  But  I  am  an  American,"  said  I,  thinking  that 
with  common  perspicacity  he  might  have  seen  this 

"Yes,  they  all  claim  to  be  Americans.  And 
when  you  once  get  them"  to  sea,  you  can't  near 
yourself  speak  for  their  growling." 

"But  can  you  not  promise  me  a  chance?"! 
asked. 

"  Do  you  want  to  wait  three  weeks  ? ' 

"  If  I  have  your  promise  to  ship  me,  I  will  cU 
•  D  willingly." 

"  Well,  you  may  wait,  I  guess," 

u  Can't  you  give  me  some  kind  of  employment 
on  board  meantime  ?" 


340  WHALING    AND    FISHINO. 

"  No.  I  want  no  more  idlers  than  I've  gc  * 
now." 

With  this  our  interview  closed.  I  told  the  mate, 
who  seemed  a  more  civil  man  than  the  captain, 
that  the  latter  had  promised  to  ship  me. 

"  Come  down  every  two  or  three  days  and  show 
yourself  to  him,  that  he  may  not  forget  you,"  said 
he,  kindly,  in  answer. 

Meantime  my  last  captain  was  making  use  of 
the  last  vestige  of  power  in  his  hands,  to  make 
his  crew  uncomfortable.  The  British  sailor  is 
so  important  an  individual  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  Empire,  and  the  British  captain  is  so  inva- 
riably a  tyrant,  that  it  has  been  found  necessary 
to  hedge  seamen  about  with  numerous  laws,  by 
which  it  is  supposed  they  are  protected  from  the 
evil  inclinations  of  their  superiors.  These  in  turn, 
having  a  line  drawn  over  which  they  may  not 
step,  take  care  in  general  to  go  quite  up  to  it. 

Thus  it  is  provided,  for  the  protection  of  sea- 
men, that  they  shall  be  paid  off  within  ten  days 
of  the  time  when  the  vessel  has  been  made  fast  in 
her  dock.  Accordingly,  our  captain  told  us  to 
come  to  the  owner's  office  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
ninth  day,  when  our  money  would  be  ready  for  us. 

It  is  usual,  with  the  regular  discharge,  to  give 
seamen  in  British  vessels  a  "recommendation"  to 
the  tenler  mercies  of  any  others  who  may  pro- 
pose to  employ  them.  An  American  shipmaster  or 
owner  thinks  a  man's  face  and  carriage  sufficient 
to  judge  of  his  merits.  A  Briton  asks  first  for  th« 


A    RECOMMENDATION.  341 

recommendation,  and  it"  this  is  not  forthctming, 
at  once  refuses,  unless  pressed  for  hands,  to  engage 
the  applicant. 

We  had  been  told  that  our  captain  would  refuse 
any  one  a  recommendation.  For  my  part  I  cared 
little  for  it,  as  I  was  not  to  sail  under  the  flag  any 
more.  My  shipmates,  however,  felt  somewhat 
anxious  on  the  subject. 

At  the  appointed  time  we  met  at  the  owner's 
o$oe.  The  captain  was  there.  As  each  one's 
name  was  called,  he  stepped  forward  to  receive 
his  wages  and  sign  his  account.  Then  the  captain 
handed  him  his  discharge — and  recommendation, 
if  any  was  forthcoming.  Fred,  George  and  I,  were 
the  only  ones  of  the  crew  who  were  favored  with 
the  latter  document.  I  will  here  give  a  copy  of 
mine,  as  it  may  satisfy  the  curiosity  of  some  reader. 

"Kfcis  is  to  Ceriifg,  That  -  — ,  ha& 

served  on  board  the  PAULINE  HOUGHTON,  under 
my  command,  as  able  seaman,  from  Mauritius  to 
London,  and  has  conducted  himself  to  my  satis- 
faction ;  and  can  recommend  him  to  any  person 
that  may  require  his  services. 

"  JOSEPH  K.  SMITH,  Master.'' 

With  this  precious  indorsement  in  my  hand 
and  seven  pounds  sterling  (thirty-five  dollars)  the 
proceeds  of  my  voyage,  in  my  pocket,  I  left  cap- 
tain Smith,  thinking,  "  Take  him  for  all  in  all, 
[I  hope]  I  ne'er  shall  see  his  like  again." 


342  WHALING    AND    F  I  8  H  I  M  e . 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

i  WATT  for  the  Barque-J)isappointed — "  Working  "  a  Passage- 
New  York  after  two  years  absence — Coasting — Cape  Men- 
Smyra,  the  Cook — Our  Crew  go  Home — Ship  Keeping — Sol- 
itude leads  to  Reflection — A  Coaster's  Life — A  "Stranger"— 
The  Cape— The  Mary  Hawes— A  "  Fish  Crew  "—Fishing  "  at 
Half  Line  "—We  Sail— Preparing  for  Business— The  Vessel— 
Her  Captain. 

AT  the  mate's  suggestion,  I  came  down  to  the 
barque  every  second  or  third  day,  and  placed 
myself  in  the  captain's  way,  sometimes  speaking  to 
him,  at  others,  satisfied  if  he  saw  me.  He  occa- 
sionally expressed  his  opinion  that  I  ought  not  to 
wait  so  long;  yet  never  refused  to  ratify  his  prom- 
ise to  ship  me.  Meantime,  although  entertaining 
no  doubt  as  to  his  good  faith,  I  kept  a  watch  for 
other  chances,  determining  that  if  I  could  get 
a  berth  in  any  vessel  sailing  earlier,  I  would 
accept  it. 

"No  such  chance,  however  turned  up.  Every 
American  ship  that  sailed  was  full  manned,  and 
ii.  many  there  were  extra  hands,  who  were  work- 
ing their  passage.  So  I  was  compelled  to  await 
the  expiration  of  three  long  weeks ;  during  which 
time  the  sum  o*"  money  I  had  been  paid  off  with 


DISAPPOINTED.  343 

ttorr.  tVio  Pauline  Hough  ton,  was  very  considerably 


It  was  yet  early  in  the  year,  and  I  knew  that  a 
passage  across  the  Atlantic  would  not  be  unattend- 
ed with  cold  weather.  My  first  investment  was 
therefore  ir.  some  warm  clothing.  This  provided 
I  felt  more  like  trusting  in  Providence  for  tho 
balance. 

A  day  ct  me  at  length,  when  the  barque  was  to 
ship  hands.  I  presented  myself  on  her  quarter 
deck,  early  in  the  morning  ;  where  I  was  met  by 
the  captain,  who  told  me  gruffly  that  he  found  he 
should  not  need  my  services,  as  some  other  men 
had  been  shipped  for  him,  by  a  friend.  I  looked 
up  in  his  face  in  mute  astonishment.  It  was  too 
bad.  I  had  depended  upon  his  word  so  entirely, 
that  the  possibility  of  his  failing  to  keep  it  had 
never  entered  my  mind.  Before  I  could  make 
any  reply  to  his  announcement,  he  left  the  vessel. 

Some  of  the  crew,  who  from  my  frequent  appear- 
ance on  board  had  gotten  to  know  me,  shortly 
approached  to  question  me  as  to  whether  I  was 
shipped.  On  learning  what  the  captain  had  said 
they  at  once  explained  the  secret  of  this  movement 
Some  dealers  in  seamen's  ready-made  clothing, 
Trho  had  men  on  their  hands,  owing  them  money, 
had  persuaded  the  worthy  captain  tc  engage  their 
men,  they  —  the  slop-dealers  —  retaining,  of  course, 
the  advance  pay  they  got.  While  the  crew  wer* 
talking  to  me,  the  mate  came  up. 

"Are  you  shipped,  my  lad?"  he  asked. 


344  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

"No,  sir;  the  captain  says  all  his  hands  ar« 
already  engaged,  elsewhere." 

He  appeared  surprised.  After  a  moment's 
silence,  he  asked,  "Do  you  need  any  advance?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  don't  owe  any  one  a  cent." 

"Would  you  work  your  passage,  if  the  captain 
consents  to  take  you?" 

Now,  to  keep  a  man  three  weeks  waiting  for  a 
place,  and  then  ask  him  coolly  to  take  the  place 
and  perform  its  duties,  but  without  remuneration 
I  thought,  looked  a  good  deal  like  an  imposition 
on  good  nature.  Nevertheless,  as  my  case  was 
tolerably  urgent,  I  expressed  my  willingness  even 
to  work  my  passage.  Hereupon  the  mate  sought 
out  the  captain,  and  after  conferring  with  him  for 
a  few  minutes,  returned  to  tell  me  that  I  might 
bring  my  luggage  on  board. 

We  sailed  on  the  following  day.  To  the  surprise 
of  all  the  crew,  one  of  the  other  new  hands  claimed 
also  to  be  working  his  passage.  He  had  been 
entrapped  into  this  in  the  same  way  by  which  1 
had  been  victimized.  Here  should  now  have  been 
two  extra  hands.  But  there  was  just  the  regular 
number  of  us ;  so  that  by  this  operation,  the  cap- 
tain was  enabled  to  pocket  the  wages  of  two  men 
during  the  passage  home. 

This  passage  lasted  forty  days.  We  had  some 
rough  weather;  but  with  a  comfortable  ship  and 
tolerably  kind  officers,  sailors  care  little  for  the 
weather.  So  we  passed  the  time  very  contentedly ; 
I  daily  wish  ing  for  a  succession  of  fair  winds,  to 


A     .jOOK    AT    THE    PAST.  345 

shorten  a  passage  for  which  I  was  to  receive  no 

pay- 
it  was  en  a  bright  July  morning  that  we  entered 

New  York  Bay.  By  four  o'clock  that  afternoon, 
the  barque  was  moored  at  one  of  the  East  Eiver 
wharves ;  and  I  stepped  ashore,  after  an  absence  of 
over  two  years  from  the  United  States,  with  three 
auits  of  seaman's  clothing  in  my  chest,  and  an 
English  sixpence  in  my  pocket,  the  result  of  those 
two  years  of  hard  work,  exposure  and  deprivation. 

I  don't  know  but  a  glimpse  of  common  sense' 
penetrated  for  a  moment  the  thick  mist  of 
romance  with  which  I  had  always  sought  to  sur- 
round the  life  I  had  chosen,  as  I  stood  upon  the 
wharf,  and  remembered  with  what  a  light  heart  [ 
had  two  years  before  sailed  from  that  same  pier  to 
New  Bedford ;  how  I  had  willfully  tempted  for- 
tune, by  throwing  myself  recklessly  into  a  life  of 
which  I  knew  nothing;  how  I  had  labored  twelve 
months  in  all  the  filth,  moral  and  physical,  of  a 
whaleship,  and  left  her  at  last,  with  no  returns  to 
show  for  my  work ;  how  I  had  wasted  more  time 
in  the  Isle  of  France;  and  how  now,  looking  back, 
I  could  see  two  years  of  my  life  to  all  appearance 
thrown  away. 

"  What  would  the  folks  at  home  think  of  me, 
could  they  see  me  now?"  I  asked  myself. 

<k  Don't  you  want  your  luggage  taken  up  to  9 
boarding-house?"  asked  an  express  man. 

"Yes,  take  me  up  to  Cherry  street,  N).  — ." 

Arrived  at  the  place  designated.   -I    stated  mj 


346  WHALING    AND    FISHINO. 

circumstances  to  the  worthy  man  who  there  kept  a 
boarding  place  for  seamen.  He  knew  me,  and 
received  me  kindly,  "  money  or  no  money,"  as  he 
expressed  it.  I  told  him  that  I  wished  to  go  off 
as  soon  as  possible. 

"  Better  stay  a  week  or  two  to  recruit  yourself. 
Any  money  you  want  I  will  let  you  have  fi  eely 
You  can  repay  it  at  your  convenience." 

I  felt  deeply  grateful  to  him  for  the  offer.  Prob- 
ably not  another  sailor  boarding-house  keeper  in 
1  New  York,  would  have  said  as  much  to  me.  But 
I  was  determined  to  lose  no  time  in  idleness,  and 
expressed  a  strong  desire  to  go  off  on  the  following 
day. 

That  evening  the  captain  of  a  schooner  trading 
between  New  York  and  Boston,  came  up  to  get  a 
hand.  I  offered  myself,  was  accepted,  and  engaged 
to  render  myself  on  board  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, at  six  o'clock.  So,  having  returned  at  four 
o'clock,  p.  M.,  from  a  two  years'  absence  from  the 
States,  six  o'clock  the  following  morning  found  me 
working  at  the  windlass — once  more  an  "  outward 
bounder." 

Schooner  sailing  was  somewhat  strange  to  me. 
But  the  people,  Cape  Cod  men  all,  were  kind  to 
me  and  bore  with  what  must  have  seemed  to  them 
the  rather  gruff  and  odd  ways  of  an  old  salt.  Our 
orew  consisted  of  five :  captain,  mate,  two  hands, 
and  the  cook.  The  latter  was  a  little  boy  of  ten 
years,  the  captain's  son.  All  hands  lived  in  the 
cabin,  and  the  officers,  although  a  little  icservei 


8  M  Y  fc  A  .  34t 

in  their  conversation,  as  is  the  manner  of  Cape 
men,  were  kind-hearted,  hard-working  people. 

They  were  plainly  unused  to  the  company  of 
such  an  outlandish  fellow  as  I  had  by  this  time 
grown  to  be.  Every  article  of  my  clothing  seemed 
a  curiosity  to  them.  My  old  sea  chest  was  an  object 
of  mysterious  interest  to  the  little  cook,  who 
evidently  connected  it  in  his  mind  with  number- 
less romantic  adventures.  The  shrewd  little  fellow 
lost  no  time  in  finding  out  my  weak  side,  and  hav- 
ing once,  as  he  judged,  established  himself  in  my 
good  graces,  straightway  importuned  me  for  a 
yarn ;  and  I  soon  found  that  Smyra — that  was  his 
singular  name — faithfully  repeated  my  tough 
yarns  to  his  father,  who  used  to  smile  good-na- 
turedly at  his  childish  enthusiasm,  and  at  my,  to 
Mm,  queer  ways. 

For  myself,  the  company  of  the  child  was  grate- 
ful to  my  feelings.  I  liked  his  unsophisticated 
frays  and  ingenuous  talk.  And  so  I  tried,  and 
juccessfully,  to  win  his  regards.  These  little  Cape 
boys  start  early  into  active  life.  Smyra  had  been 
eook  since  his  eighth  year,  and  now  at  ten,  with 
all  of  the  child  about  him  yet,  was  as  self-reliant 
and  shrewd,  in  matters  appertaining  to  his  pecu- 
liar life,  as  many  a  young  man  at  twenty-one. 

Our  crew  had  their  homes  in  a  little  village  en 
the  Cape.  It  was  the  captain's  custom  to  lay  by 
here  for  a  day  or  two,  on  each  trip.  Accordingly, 
when  we  were  through  the  Yineyard  Sound,  on* 
course  was  shaped  toward  Harwich,  and  by  noo» 


*348  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

of  the  second  day  after  we  left  New  York,  tV« 
little  craft  was  safely  moored  at  "  Deep  Hole  " — 
the  name  of  the  particular  anchorage  chosen  for 
her.  We  found  here  a  number  of  schooners  at 
anchor. 

""What  are  those  vessels,  Smyra?"  asked  I,  as 
we  two  were  stowing  the  jib. 

"  Some  coasters,  and  some  fishermen." 

With  a  quickness  peculiar,  1  believe,  to  fisher- 
men and  coasters,  the  boy  now  began  telling  over 
the  names  of  the  various  vessels.  Many  lay  a 
mile  off;  but  he  knew  them  all.  This  was  a 
coaster,  that  a  fisherman  ;  this  a  Harwood  vessel, 
that  one  from  Barnstable. 

"  And  yonder  in  the  offing  is  a  Down-Easter.*' 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  Have  you  seen  her 
before?" 

"  No ;  but  I  know  by  her  rig.  No  Cape  man 
would  have  such  a  clumsy  masthead  to  his  vessel." 

When  the  sails  were  furled,  and  all  was  made 
snug,  our  crew  departed  shoreward  in  the  boat, 
leaving  me  alone  on  board,  as  "  ship-keeper." 

"  There's  plenty  of  eggs,  and  everything  else 
you  want,  in  the  cabin,  Charley;  you  must  cook 
lots  for  yourself,"  said  Smyra,  as  he  gaily  jumped 
into  the  stern  sheets. 

"  And  there  are  some  good  books  in  the  cabin, 
too,  Charles,"  said  the  skipper,  "you  can  take 
whatever  you  please." 

So  they  went  ashore  to  their  pleasant  homes, 
while  I,  poor  fellow,  remained  on  board  in 


SHIP-KEEPING.  349 

huiitude.  It  was  a  solitude  I  very  much  enjoyed. 
A  Sabbath  stillness  reigned  over  the  little  bay  in 
which  we  were  anchored.  Most  of  the  vessels  at 
anchor  were  entirely  deserted ;  a  few  had  a  soli- 
tary ship-keeper,  like  myself  a  stranger  to  tho 
Cape.  During  the  two  days  which  our  crews 
spent  on  shore  I  had  ample  time  to  take  a  cool 
review  of  the  last  few  years  of  my  life,  and 
endeavor  to  plan  out  a  future. 

I  was  now  in  my  twenty-first  year.  I  had, 
unconsciously  almost,  grown  to  man's  estate.  And 
I  was  now  fully  awakening  to  the  fact,  that  in  the 
life  I  was  leading  there  was  nought  to  elevate, 
everything  to  debase  a  man — that  day  by  day,  I 
was  losing  ground,  and  lessening  my  chances  of 
ever  returning  to  a  better  life. 

To  a  boy  every  change  is  welcome.  He  has 
the  power  to  fit  himself  into  any  kind  of  life.  The 
man  is  different ;  and  I  was  alarmed  when  I  found 
how  much,  in  the  last  two  years,  I  had  grown 
into  the  peculiar  ways  of  acting,  and  thinking 
even,  of  the  genuine,  irredeemable  old  sailor. 

"A  change  must  be  made,"  thought  I.  "But 
how?  Can  I  return  home  after  years  of  unre- 
quited hardships,  and  meet  the  pitying  smiles  of 
former  friends,  who  have  by  more  proper  conduct 
distanced  me  in  the  race  of  life  ?  No.  This  can 
never  be.  Will  strangers  give  me  employment  on 
shore?  Me,  who  bear  in  every  line  and  motion 
tho  evidence  of  being  a  sailoi  ''  It  appeared  very 
•nlikely. 


350  WHALING    AND    FI8HINO. 

JSevertheless,  I  determined  to  try,  as  soon  as  1 
ahould  have  earned  myself  a  little  money,  to  sup- 
port me  in  the  attempt.  How  many  months 
would  elapse  ere  this  should  be  accomplished,  and 
wh ether  for  that  long  time  my  resolution  would 
hold  out,  I  could  not  tell.  Bui;  this  I  determined 
henceforth  to  look  forward  to,  as  the  aim  of  my 
life. 

On  the  third  morning  our  crew  returned  on 
board  and  we  set  sail  for  Boston.  As  we  sailed 
past  the  Cape,  we  met  numbers  of  fishing  vessels 
returning  to  their  port  of  discharge,  laden  with 
mackerel.  Smyra,  who  had  made  several  trips 
"  mackereling,"  was  loud  in  his  praise  of  fishing, 
and  unceasing  in  his  fish  stories. 

"  Have  you  never  been  fishing? "  said  he.  "  You 
ought  to  go.  It's  great  fun ;  and  besides,  I  believe 
one  can  make  more  there  than  at  coasting." 

I  paid  little  attention  at  first  to  his  remarks ; 
but  his  continued  laudation  of  fishing  life  at  last 
induced  me  to  ask  the  captain  if  "  mackerel  catch 
ing  "  was  indeed  a  money-making  business.  He 
owned  that  in  good  seasons  there  was  money 
made  at  it,  but  thought  that  steady  wages  were 
much  preferable.  I  considered  on  the  matter. 
Somehow,  shortly,  the  old  desire  for  novelty  took 
possession  of  me,  and  I  determined  that  after  com- 
pleting the  return  trip  to  New  York,  I  would 
make  trial  of  "  mackereling." 

Our  voyage  to  Boston  and  back  to  £iew  York 
was  notable  for  naught  but  its  plentiful  lack  of 


MACKERELING.  351 

excitement.  The  coaster  is  the  drudge  among 
seamen.  He  shares  all  the  severe  toil,  and  much 
of  the  danger  incident'  to  a  sailor's  life,  without 
any  particle  of  romance  to  redeem  HS  common- 
placeness.  With  him  it  is  the  same  old  story.  New 
York,  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Norfolk,  or  whatever 
maybe  his  trading  points,  they  present  no  strange 
scenes,  no  new  life  to  his  view.  For  a  real  pro- 
saic, matter  of  fact,  anti-poetic  existence,'commend 
me  to  a  coaster.  One  voyage  was  ever  quite  suffi- 
cient to  last  me  a  year. 

So,  by  the  time  we  reached  New  York  again,  I 
was  quite  ready  to  dive  into  some  new  phase  of 
life,  and  gladly  availed  myself  of  the  offer  of  a 
Cape  captain  to  take  me  down  home  with  him, 
and  procure  me  a  berth  in  a  "  mackerel  catcher." 

I  sailed  back  to  Harwich  in  a  little  schooner 
bound  that  way.  On  the  vessel's  arrival,  I  pro- 
ceeded ashore,  in  company  with  the  crew.  By  the 
kindness  of  one,  I  was  introduced  to  a  good  widow 
lady,  who  consented  to  board  me  while  on  shore, 
and  care  somewhat  for  my  effects  while  away. 
Thus  a  kind  of  home  was  provided  for  me,  where 
at  very  little  cost  to  myself,  I  could  spend  a  few 
days  after  each  cruise,  in  comfortable  though 
rather  solitary  enjoyment.  Solitary,  because  on 
the  Cape  a  "  stranger"  is  looked  upon  with  some 
degree  of  distrust.  The  Ca,pe  people  are  tolerably 
clannish  ;  and  although  universally  kind-hearted, 
never  fail  to  remind  a  n  ew  comer  that  he  is  not 
one  of  them.  In  this,  they  are  not  indeed  far 


352  WHALING   AND    FISHING. 

wrong,  for  many  of  the  strangers  who  temporarily 
sojourn  in  the  fishing  villages,  and  find  employ- 
ment as  mackerel  and  co'd  fishermen,  are  not  too 
trustworthy ;  while  most  of  them  come  only  on 
the  rather  selfish  errand  of  making  a  little  money 
for  themselves,  to  carry  to  some  more  congenial 
place  than  the  Cape,  to  spend. 

I  remained  a  few  days  on  shore,  while  the  ves- 
sel in  which  I  had  secured  a  berth  was  being  made 
ready  for  her  first  cruise.  In  these  days,  I  saw 
sufficient  of  the  Cape  to  convince  me  that  it  is 
not  the  most  pleasant  spot  on  the  surface  of  our 
globe.  The  face  of  the  country  affords  a  not  over 
agreeable  diversity  of  views,  consisting  of  sand, 
hills  and  salt  water  marshes,  scrub  oaks  and 
stunted  pines  ;  the  ground  work  and  filling  up  of 
the  picture  being  sand,  the  abundance  of  which 
amply  entitles  the  country  to  the  euphonious  name 
of  "  the  Great  Desert  of  Cape  Cod." 

The  shores  of  the  harbors  are  masses  of  sand. 
Flats  extend  some  distance  into  the  water,  making 
necessary  the  building  of  long,  dreary-looking 
wharves.  Even  to  these  wharves  the  little  fishing 
vessels  can  get  only  at  high  tide.  Here  they  dis- 
charge ^heir  fish  ;  and  here,  in  the  fish  houses,  they 
are  sorted,  inspected  and  branded,  when  they  are 
ready  for  shipment,  North,  South,  East  and  West. 

The  outlook  seaward  is  scarcely  more  dreary 
than  that  from  the  sea  landward.  The  stunted 
vegetation,  the  snug  but  lonely  looking  IHtle 
houses,  the  great,  barn-like  structures  called  fish 


THE    CAPE.  353 

houses,  each  with  the  wooden  image  cf  a  codfish 
or  mackerel  swinging  from  its  steep  roof,  the 
absence  of  grass  or  aught  of  green  near  the  shores, 
and  above  all  and  mixed  with  all,  the  everlasting 
glare  of  the  sand,  all  united  to  give  the  shores  of 
the  Cape  a  most  desolate  appearance. 

Where  a  country  is  poor  the  people  are  gener- 
ally thriving  and — in  their  way — happy.  So  it  is 
here.  I  don't  know  that  a  fisherman's  life  exactly 
fills  my  ideal  of  a  happy  existence.  But  the  peo- 
ple are  universally  frugal,  industrious  and  intelli- 
gent— their  wants  are  few,  their  tastes  the  reverse 
of  luxurious,  and  the  labor  of  their  hands  suffices 
to  make  them  a  competence — so  that  after  all, 
making  due  allowance  for  the  many  hardships  of 
their  peculiar  life,  they  are  very  happy. 

The  widow  lady  with  whom  I  had  made  my 
home  on  my  arrival  on  shore,  was  kind  enough  to 
provide  me  with  many  little  articles,  necessary 
only  on  such  a  trip  as  I  was  about  to  make.  She 
set  apart  for  my  use,  during  my  stay  on  shore,  a 
neat  little  room,  in  which— for  the  first  time  since 
starting  to  sea — I  made  myself  perfectly  at  home 
Here  I  enjoyed  once  more,  to  some  degree,  a  free- 
dom from  exciting  care,  which  seldom  falls  to  the 
sailor's  lot.  The  quiet  of  the  country — how  much 
and  often  I  had  longed  for  it ! — did  my  soul  good, 
and  I  found  myself  in  a  condition  of  mind  to  sit 
down  and  reason  with  myself  on  the  folly  of  the 
life  which  I  had  so  long  been  leading.  Here  was 
ttrengthened  my  previously  formed  determination 
23 


364  WHALING*    AND    FISHING. 

to  leave  the  sea,  and  make  myself  a  place  "  on 
shore  " — that  mystery  to  a  sailor,  whose  visits  to 
he  land  are  just  sufficiently  long  to  make  the 
hore  life  a  marvel  to  him. 

A  little  clipper  schooner,  the  Mary  Hawes5  was 
just  fitting  out  for  a  mackerel  cruise.  She  had 
made  two  trips  to  "the  banks"  that  year,  had 
been  successful  in  both,  and  her  captain  was  now 
about  to  complete  the  year's  work  by  a  couple  of 
months'  mackereling.  Captain  Jonathan  Young 
had  the  name  of  being  a  smart  fisherman;  a  "very 
fishy  man,"  as  those  who  knew  him  best  called  him. 
He  was  bred  to  the  business,  and  was  supposed  to 
know  the  haunts  and  motions  of  cod  fish  and 
mackerel  as  well  as  any  one  in  that  part  of  the 
country.  It  was  a  natural  consequence  that  such  a 
man  should  gather  about  him  an  able  crew.  Some 
of  his  men  were  not  to  be  beaten  ;  several  had  at 
different  times  been  "high  line  "  from  Harwich ; 
and  all  were  good  fishermen.  I  was  fortunate  in 
securing  a  berth  in  her,  as  I  there  enjoyed  the  ad- 
vantage  of  all  their  experience  to  enlighten  my 
ignorance. 

Fishermen  do  not  of  course  labor  at  regular 
wages.  The  business  is  carried  on  on  shares. 
The  vessel  has  a  certain  share  of  the  general 
catch.  The  captain  has  a  share  for  his  additional 
trouble  and  responsibility.  An  account  is  kept  of 
provisions  and  fish -bait  used,  and  this  is  f*,irly 
averaged  among  the  crew.  Each  man  keep*  his 
fish  separate,  and  when  they  are  "packed  "  (-sVw 


FISHING    AT    HALF    LINE.  355 

is  to  say,  inspected  and  sorted),  he  receives  either 
his  net  share  of  the  fish,  or  their  equivalent  in 
money  at  the  highest  market  price. 

Sometimes,  young  men  make  a  different  arrange- 
ment, which  is  called  "  fishing  for  halves."  They 
agree  with  some  one  ashore,  generally  a  packer 
or  inspector,  to  give  him  all  their  catch,  he  payirtg 
them  in  return  one  half  its  value,'  in  cash,  and 
taking  the  risk  of  making  a  clear  profit  from  the 
balance.  If  the  season  is  favorable  and  the  fisher- 
man has  good  fortune,  the  shoresman  makes 
money  by  this,  while  if  the  catch  is  small,  he  loses 
—the  provisions  and  other  incidental  expenses 
averaging  as  high  in  one  case  as  in  the  other. 

Through  the  kindness  of  a  friend,  I  was  intro- 
duced to  a  gentleman  who,  in  consideration  that 
I  was  to  go  in  the  Mary  Hawes,  agreed  to  let  me 
fish  for  him  at  "half-line."  This  arrangement 
gave  me  great  satisfaction,  as  it  reduced  my 
chances  more  to  a  certainty ;  and  I  felt  just 
then  a  strong  desire  to  make  them  as  certain  as 
possible. 

Fancy  me  then  on  board.  Oiled  clothes,  a 
baivel  (an  oiled  cloth  apron),  hooks  and  b'nes,  a 
bait  knife,  fishing  mittens,  and  divers  other  mat- 
ters needed  to  make  up  a  perfect  fishii  g  outfit^ 
are  procured ;  two  suits  of  clothes,  and  an  indefi- 
nite quantity  of  rags  (for  sores,  my  landlady  says,) 
are  snugly  stowed  away  in  a  white  clothes-bag. 
A  stock  of  "Vineyard"  stockings,  and  a  fe-tf 
interesting  books  are  duly  placed  under  the  mat- 


356  WHALING     AND      FISHIVO. 

tress  in  my  narrow  berth  ;  and  so  with  a  good 
breeze  we  get  under  way. 

"The  fleet,"  as  the  collection  of  mackerel  fish- 
ermen is  called,  is  known  to  be  off  Portland, 
Thither  then  we  wend  our  way — slowly  enough — 
with  light  winds  and  calms.  The  first  two  or 
three  days  out,  all  hands  are  busied  in  preparing 
fish  gear,  "  Jigs,"  as  the  peculiar  hooks  used  to 
catch  mackerel  are  called,  are  ca^t  and  burnished 
up;  lines  are  stretched,  measured  and  coiled  away; 
beckets  and  cleats  are  placed  opposite  each  man's 
place  at  the  rail ;  and  these  places  are  fairly  por- 
tioned off  and  marked,  in  order  that  no  confusion 
may  arise  when  fish  are  "along  side."  All  these 
matters  duly  attended  to,  and  there  is  room  to 
look  about  us,  and  occasion  to  express  impatience 
at  our  slow  progress  toward  the  fleet. 

I  presume  I  ought  to  describe  as  nearly  as  may 
be,  the  appearance  of  the  craft  in  which  I  now 
found  myself.  She  was  schooner  rigged — that  is, 
had  two  masts,  and  fore  and  aft  sails.  She  was 
a  neatly  built,  sharp  little  craft  of  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  tons  burthen.  Our  crew  num- 
bered twelve  men  besides  the  cook;  The  galley, 
or  cooking  stov.e  and  kitchen  generally,  was  in  the 
forecastle,  a  narrow  and  dark  little  hole,  about  six 
by  eight  feet,  exclusive  of  the  berths  —  which 
berths,.!  may  add,  were  all  occupied. 

One  half  the  crew  slept  in  the  forecastle.  The 
other  and  older  half  found  their  sleeping  accom- 
uxodat/ans  in  the  cabin.  This  was  another  con- 


A    FISH    CREW.  367 

traded  den,  about  six  by  ten  feet.  Its  center  ivag 
completely  occupied  by  a  table,  from  wL  ,ch  all 
hands  partook  of  their  food.  Locker-seats  ranged 
along  the  side,  fitted  tc  this  table.  A  rjw  of 
shelves  and  a  box  compass  and  quadrant  fill  one 
end;  a  small  coal  stove  and  the  hatch  ladder,  the 
other.  A  sky-light  overhead  gives  necessary 
light.  The  whole  smells  villainously  of  decayed 
fish. 

The  hold  is  filled  with  barrels,  some  empty, 
aome  full  of  water,  used  as  ballast.  The  deck 
contains  naught  but  a  bait-mill,  a  barrel  of  bait, 
and  some  strike  barrels  which  it  is  hoped  we  shall 
shortly  fill  with  mackerel. 

The  crew  were  a  set  of  genuine  Cape  men.  I 
was  the  only  "  stranger "  on  board.  The  rest 
were  all  born  and  bred  fishermen :  quick  moving, 
nervous  men  in  fact,  although  they  seemed,  when 
unexcited,  slow  enough  to  please  the  most  lym- 
phatic Hollander.  Our  captain  was  a  tall,  portly 
man,  blue  eyed  but  dark  complexioned,  and  of  a 
fair  presence.  He  was  reputed — as  he  afterward 
proved  himself — the  most  skillful  fisherman  on 
board.  His  lines  and  jigs  were  fitted  with  the 
most  scrupulous  nicety.  He  had  a  set  for  every 
kind  of  weather  we  were  likely  to  experience, 
from  the  large  line  and  heavy  jig  to  be  used  only 
on  fish-days  or  in  rough  weather,  to  th-j  most  del- 
icate fly-lines,  with  minute  hooks  and  jigs,  with 
which  to  tempt  the  daintiest  of  mackerel  on 
smooth  days. 


358  WHALING    AND    FISHING 

He  was  a  man  of  infinite  patience.  In  a  calm 
he  would  lean  over  the  rail  for  hours  at  a  time, 
once  in  a  while  hauling  in  a  huge  mackerel,  while 
the  others  were  lounging  idly  about  decks,  OP  if 
at  the  rail  at  all,  were  inattentive  to  their  lines. 
D  is  exhortations  to  others  to  attend  to  the  fish, 
were  ceaseless,  while  fish  were  along  side. 

"  Now  they  bite,  boys ;  here's  a  spirt ! "  he 
would  cry  whenever,  by  unusual  wariness,  he 
succeeded  in  capturing  a  mackerel.  Then  would 
follow  a  rush  to  the  rail,  a  few  moments  of  breath- 
less attention,  and  finally,  "  now  they  don't  bite, 
boys,"  from  some  disappointed  lounger,  as  he  fell 
back  upon  the  deck  or  hatchway.  Such  was  "  the 
skipper,"  and  a  better  man  could  not  be  found  tc 
command  a  fishing  vessel. 


THE    FLEET  359 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

14  THE  FLEET  "—A  Night  Scene—The  First  Day  on  Fish  Ground 
— Habits  of  Mackerel — Advantages  of  being  in  a  Fast  Vessel 
—Why  there  is  a  "  Fleet  "—Method  of  Taking  Mackerel- 
Bait  used — Monotony  of  the  Fisherman's  Life — A  Fish-day — 
Premonitory  Symptoms — Rain — "Shorten  Up" — Breakfast 
— Dressing  Fish — Making  a  Harbor — Salting  down — Coming 
to  Anchor — After  Supper  Comforts — The  Morning  after  a 
Storm— The  Close  of  the  Trip— Depart  for  New  York— I 
Determine  to  quit  the  Sea — and  do  so — Difficulties  Attending 
such  a  Change,  with  the  Sailor. 

IT  was  on  the  fifth  night  after  leaving  our  port, 
that  we  came  into  "  the  fleet."  During  the  day 
an  occasional  homeward  bounder,  steering  off  with 
all  Rail  set,  had  passed  us.  Toward  evening,  white 
sails  were  visible  in  many  directions.  At  sunset 
we  were  already  near  the  outsiders,  the  videttes 
of  the  fleet.  And  before  retiring  to  rest  we  wer 
in  the  midst  of  the  vast  collection  of  vessels,  their 
innumerable  lights  glistening  upon  the  smooth 
expanse  of  ocean,  and  dancing  solemnly  up  and 
down  on  the  great  swell  which  the  Atlantic  ever 
keeps  up,  much  more  resembling  the  vessels  in  a 
vast  naval  panorama,  than  a  scene  of  real  life. 

There  is  something  solemn  and  thought-inspir- 
ing in  a  scene  like  this,  at  all  events  to  a  thinking 


SffO  WHALING    AND    FISHINO. 

person  who  for  the  first  time  witnesses  it,  The 
entire  stillness  which  reigns  by  night  over  this 
vast  aquatic  town,  the  absence  of  all  noise  except 
the  continual  faint  roar  of  the  swell,  the  sorrowful 
creaking  of  the  rigging,  and  the  solitary  "  sug  " 
of  the  vessel's  bow,  as  she  falls  into  the  trough  of 
the  sea ;  the  bare  poles  of  the  distant  vessels 
thrown  in  vivid,  almost  unnatural  relief  against 
the  sky ;  the  crazy  motion  of  the  little  barks,  as 
they  are  tossed  about  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves, 
having  scarce  steerage  way;  the  lonely-looking 
light  on  the  mast,  seeming  to  be  the  spirit  which 
has  entire  charge  of  the  hull  beneath ;  the  absence 
of  all  life  where  but  a  short  time  ago  all  was  life 
and  bustle :  all  this  contrasted  so  strangely  with 
the  lively  appearance  of  the  vessels  by  day,  as 
they  skim  rapidly  over  the  waters,  their  great 
piles  of  snow-white  canvas  gleaming  gayly  in  the 
sun,  and  their  crews  moving  merrily  about  decks, 
as  to  make  me  almost  doubt  that  there  were  in 
fact  in  the  shapeless  masses  drifting  past  us,  hither 
and  thither,  at  the  mercy  of  wind  and  wave,  men 
istout  and  able,  who  had  often  battled  for  their 
lives  with  the  same  old  Ocean  upon' whose  bosom 
they  were  now  so  placidly  reposing. 

But  here  comes  one,  rolling  toward  us, 

"  As  silent  as  a  painted  ship,  upon  a  painted  ocean," 
and  seemingly  just  as  likely  to  hit  us  as  not.     Wt 
bail  him. 

"  Schooner  ahoy !  " 

"Hillo!"  is  answered   by  a  tall   figure   which 


AT    DAWN.  361 

starts  up  from  a  reclining  posture  on  die  com- 
panion hatch. 

"  How  many  mackerel  did  you  get  to  day  ?  " 

"  About  twenty  wash-barrels,  mostly  large." 

"  Did  the  fleet  do  anything  ?  " 

"  Some  of  them  lay  still  a  good  while,  and 
^uess  had  pretty  good  fishing." 

Here  some  of  our  crew  mutter  out  a  weak  im- 
precation upon  the  weather,  which  has  prevented 
us  from  joining  the  fleet  before.  Our  friend  hails 
us — 

"  Are  you  just  from  home  ?  " 

"Yes;  all  well  there." — And  the  faint  sound  of 
the  waves  as  they  surge  under  his  bows  tells  us 
that  we  are  too  wide  apart  for  speaking  purpose?. 

Standing  a  little  farther  on,  into  the  thickest  of 
the  fleet,  we  too,  about  nine  o'clock,  hauled  down 
our  mainsail  and  jibs,  and  leaving  one  man  on 
deck  as  a  look-out,  went  below  to  prepare  by  a 
sound  sleep  for  the  labors  of  the  morrow. 

At  early  dawn  we  turned  out  to  make  sail. 
Although  yet  too  dark  to  distinguish  the  numer- 
ous fleet  in  whose  midst  we  had  taken  our  place, 
our  ears  were  saluted  on  all  sides  by  the  rattle  of 
ropes,  the  creak  of  blocks,  and  the  rustling  of  can- 
vas and  we  were  conscious  that  ten  thousand  men 
jrere  actively  employed  around  us,  at  the  same 
moment,  in  the  same  work,  and  preparing  for 
similar  duties  and  labors. 

As  the  day  breaks,  a  grand  spectacle  bursts  upon 
our  view.  The  sky  is  clear,  and'  the  sun,  as  he 


WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

rises  above  the  eastern  horizon,  gilds  with  his  raya 
the  sails  of  a  thousand  vessels,  as  they  lie  spread 
out  upon  the  mirror-like  surface  of  the  sea.  And 
now  our  crew  begin  looking  for  acquaintances 
among  the  vessels,  My  astonishment  is  unbounded 
at  hearing  them  name  vessels  distant  from  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  to  six  or  seven  miles,  and  that 
with  perfect  certainty  of  their  correctness.  To 
such  perfection  has  practice  trained  the  vision  of 
these  men  that  notwithstanding  mackerel  catch- 
ers are  scrupulously  rigged  alike,  the  crew  would 
point  out  not  only  schooners  with  which  they 
were  acquainted,  but  also  tell  the  hailing -places  of 
many  which  they  had  never  seen  before. 

As  an  old  salt,  I  prided  myself  not  a  little  on 
my  expertness  in  detecting  differences  in  rig  or 
build,  but  was  obliged  here  to  give  up  my  art  as 
completely  beaten.  For  where  I  could  not  detect 
the  slightest  distinguishing  characteristic,  the 
experienced  eyes  of  one  of  my  companions  would 
at  one  glance  reveal  the  whole  history  of  the  ves- 
sel in  question,  and  would  enable  him  to  tell,  with 
a  certainty  which  scarcely  ever  failed,  the  place 
where  she  was  built,  where  rigged,  and  where  at 
present  owned.  This  wonderful  faculty  is  the 
result  of-  keen  eyes  and  long  experience,  and  is 
found  nowhere  else  in  such  perfection  as  among 
American  fishermen. 

Lying  to  for  a  little  while,  to  try  for  fish,  we 
shortly  got  under  way,  and  stood  on  with  the 
rest  of  the  fleet.  The  wind  was  from  North  west 


MOTIONS    OF    THE     FLEET.  363 

and  every  one  of  the  nine  or  ten  hundred  vessels 
composing  the  fleet,  are  tacked  to  the  Northward. 
It  was  curious  to  watch  their  motions.  They 
have  no  head,  no  organization  of  any  kind ;  yet  do 
they  move  as  much  in  concert  as  would  the  best 
organized  naval  fleet,  working  by  the  signals  of 
their  commodore. 

See,  the  headmost  vessel  of  the  fleet  is  in  stays. 
There  the  next  one  tacks.  Little  squads  of  half 
a  dozen  follow  suit;  and  in  fifteen  minutes  the 
whole  fleet  is  on  the  other  tack,  standing  to  the 
westward.  And  so  we  go  all  day,  working  to  the 
windward  as  fast  as  the  light  breeze  will  bear  us 
along.  Every  once  in  a  while  some  one  heaves  to 
and  tries  for  mackerel.  But  mackerel  won't  bite 
well,  in  general,  on  such  a  day  as  this ;  and  this 
day  we  don't  see  a  live  one  at  all 

Mackerel  go  in  large  schools,  one  of  which  con- 
tains fish  enough,  if  all  caught,  to  fill  up  every 
vessel  in  a  fleet.  But,  vast  as  such  a  body  is,  it 
occupies  but  a  very  small  space  in  the  ocean  which 
supports  it.  A  school  of  fish,  therefore,  is  to  be 
searched  out  much  as  one  would  look  for.  a  needle 
in  a  haystack — unwearying  patience  and  deter- 
mination being  qualifications  as  necessary  to  con- 
stitute a  successful  fisherman  as  to  make  one  a 
fortunate  searcher  for  needles. 

The  fishery  is  pursued  in  small  vessels,  of  from 
thirty  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  tons,  and  inva- 
riably of  the  "  schooner  "  rig,  that  is,  having  two 
and  "fore  ani  aft"  sails.  The  business 


364  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

commences  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  when  the 
mackerel  first  return  to  our  coasts  from  their 
winter's  absence  in  more  southern  waters,  and 
lasts  until  the  end  of  November.  At  that  time 
the  fish — and  of  course  their  pursuers  also— havi 
made  the  entire  circuit  of  our  eastern  coast,  froir 
the  capes  of  Delaware,  off  which  they  are  first  seen 
in  early  spring,  to  the  extreme  borders  of  Maine 
and  the  bays  of  British  America,  and  back  again 
as  far  as  the  headland  of  Cape  Cod.  Thence  the 
fish — about  Thanksgiving  Day — take  their  final 
departure  for  their  as  yet  undiscovered  winter 
quarters. 

All  attempts  made  by  enterprising  fishermen 
co  follow  the  mackerel,  after  they  leave  "the 
Cape,"  have  hitherto  proved  utterly  futile,  every 
trace  of  the  vast  school  which  annually  congre- 
gates there  being  invariably  lost  within  fifty  miles 
of  the  south  shoals  of  Nantucket.  Many  different 
surmises  have  been  offered  to  account  for  their  sud- 
den disappearance,  and  various  theories  started  by 
those  curious  in  such  matters,  to  explain  the  why 
and  wherefore  of  the  eccentric  motions  of  a  school 
of  mackerel.  But  the  matter  is  apparently  just 
as  much  in  the  dark  as  ever,  and  their  disappear 
ance  about  Thanksgiving  time  remains  as  much 
a  subject  for  speculation  as  the  similar  annual 
disappearance  of  swallows.  Many,  wise  in  such 
matters,  think  that  the  fish,  after  leaving  OUT 
coast,  lie  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  in  compara- 
tively shoal  water,  in  a  sfate  of  stupefaction  until 


THE    RACE     IS     TO    THE    SWIFT.  365 

the  return  of  warm  weather;  others  suppose  that 
they  emigrate  to  warmer  latitudes,  wLere  they 
ewin.  deep  beneath  the  surface,  in  order  to  keep 
themselves  in  a  temperature  suited  to  their  nature; 
and  many  old  fishermen  devoutly  believe  that 
after  leaving  us  they  are,  somehow,  changed  into 
fish  of  an  entirely  different  species,  and  are  met, 
with  in  the  tropical  seas  as  albicores,  bonita,  etc. 
All  that  is  known  on  the  subject  is,  that  those 
which  leave  the  coast  at  the  beginning  of  winter 
are  of  moderate  size,  but  very  fat;  while  those 
which  return  in  the  spring  are  large,  extremely 
poor,  and  ravenously  hungry. 

The  vessels  in  which  the  fish  are  pursued  and 
caught,  are  small,  but  stoutly  built,  formed  to  resist 
some  degree  of  bad  weather,  and  having,  almost 
invariably,  excellent  sailing  qualities.  The  latter, 
indeed,  is  a  necessary  qualification  in  a  vessel 
intended  for  this  business,  as  the  success  of  a  voy- 
age, in  many  instances,  depends  on  a  vessel  get- 
ting to  a  certain  place,  where  fish  have  been 
discovered,  an  hour  sooner  or  later. 

Thus,  it  once  happened  that  the  entire  fleet  took 
shelter  in  Cape  Ann  harbor,  on  occasion  of  a 
storm.  After  lying  in  port  two  days  the  weather 
moderated.  Early  the  following  morning  the 
fleet  got  under  way.  The  first  little  squad  of 
about  a  dozen  vessels,  manned  probably  by  the 
most  eager  fishermen,  but  consisting  also  of  the 
fastest  sailing  schooners,  had  about  forty  minutes 
start  of  the  balance.  It  was  a  beaut  tful  morning 


S66  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

A  very  light  breeze  prevailed,  before  which  none 
but  the  sharpest  vessels  could  make  headway. 
These  had  hardly  gotten  clear  of  the  lane/,  when 
they  "  struck  "  mackerel.  They  at  once  "  hove 
to,"  and  did  not  again  get  under  way  until  their 
decks  were  filled — the  fish  biting  all  this  time  as 
fast  as  they  could  be  hauled  in.  Meantime,  the 
slower  moving  portion  of  the  fleet  had  just  time 
to  reach  the  harbor's  mouth  when  the  little  breeze 
which  had  carried  them  thus  far  died  away,  and 
it  fell  a  dead  calm ;  and  they  were  actually  forced 
to  lie  there,  within  four  or  five  miles  of  a  vast 
school  of  fish,  and  in  plain  sight  of  their  more 
fortunate  companions,  without  feeling  a  bite. 

"  The  fleet "  is  an  aggregate  of  all  the  vessels 
engaged  in  the  mackerel  fishery.  Experience  has 
taught  fishermen  that  the  surest  way  to  find  mack- 
erel is  to  cruise  in  one  vast  body,  whose  line  of 
search  will  then  extend  over  an  area  of  many  miles. 
When,  as  sometimes  happens,  a  single  vessel  falls  in 
with  a  large  "school,"  the  catch  is  of  course  much 
greater.  But  vessels  cruising  separately  or  in 
small  squads  are  much  less  likely  to  fall  in  with 
fish  than  is  the  large  fleet.  "The  fleet"  is  there- 
fore the  aim  of  every  mackerel  fisherman.  The 
best  vessels  generally  maintain  a  position  to  th«j 
windward.  Mackerel  mostly  work  to  windward 
slowly,  and  those  vessels  farthest  to  windward  in 
the  fleet  are  therefore  most  likely  to  fall  in  with 
fish  first ;  while  from  their  position  they  can  quickly 
run  down,  should  mackerel  be  raised  to  leeward, 


"RAISING"   MACKEREL.  367 

Thus  in  a  collection  of  from  six  hundred  to  a 
thousand  vessels,  cruising  in  one  vast  body,  and 
spreading  over  many  miles  of  water,  is  kept  up  a 
constant  although  silent  and  imperceptible  com- 
munication, by  means  of  incessant  watching  with 
good  spyglasses.  This  is  so  thorough  that  a  vessel 
at  one  end  of  the  fleet  can  not  have  mackerel 
"  alongside,"  technically  speaking,  five  minutes, 
before  every  vessel  in  a  circle,  the  diameter  of 
which  may  be  ten  miles,  will  be  aware  of  the  fact, 
and  every  man  of  the  ten  thousand  composing 
their  crews  will  be  engaged  in  spreading  to  the 
wind  every  available  stitch  of  canvas  to  force  each 
little  bark  as  quickly  as  possible  into  close  prox- 
imity to  the  coveted  prize.  And  then  commences 
the  trial  of  speed.  Then  the  best  helmsman  is 
called  to  steer;  every  eye  watches  the  sails,  to  see 
that  they  draw  w.ell,  and  every  hand  is  ready  to 
jump  to  remedy  any  defect.  Then  is  the  anxious 
moment  for  fishermen  ;  for  they  see  spread  out 
before  them  a  vast  school  of  fish,  in  the  midst  of 
which  lie  the  few  favored  vessels  which  have  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  them,  and  are  now  reaping  a 
golden  harvest.  This  is  indeed  the  most  exciting 
scene  in  the  experience  of  a  mackerel  catcher. 

The  fish  are  caught  with  hook  and  line,  each 
fisherman  using  two  lines.  When  hauled  ou 
board,  they  are  "struck"  off  by  a  peculiarly  quick 
motion  of  the  right  hand  and  arm,  into  a  "strike 
barrel"  standing  behind  and  a  little  to  the  right 
of  its  proprietor.  The  same  motion  which  leaves 


368  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

the  mackerel  in  the  barrel  also  suffices  to  project 
the  hook  (which  has  a  little  pewter  run  on  ita 
shank)  back  into  the  water,  and  the  fisherman 
immediately  catches  up  his  other  line,  going 
through  the  same  maneuver  with  it.  So  raven- 
ously do  the  fish  bite,  that  a  barrel  full  is  some- 
limes  caught  in  fifteen  minutes  by  a  single  mttn. 

The  bait  used  to  entice  them  alongside,  and  keep 
them  there  afterward,  consists  of  a  mixture  of 
clams  and  a  little  fish  known  by  the  euphonious 
name  of  "porgies."  The  last  are  seined  in  great 
quantities  every  summer  in  the  mouth  of  the  Con- 
necticut river,  and  the  adjacent  waters,  and  are 
used  by  farmers  as  manure  for  their  land,  as  well 
as  by  mackerel  catchers  as  bait.  This  bait  is 
ground  up  fine  in  a  mill  provided  on  board  for 
the  purpose,  and  is  then  thrown  out  on  the  water. 
It  sinks  to  the  depth  at  which  the  fish  lie,  when 
they,  in  their  eagerness  for  it,  follow  it  up  until 
they  get  alongside  the  vessel.  Once  alongside, 
they  bite  indiscriminately  at  bait  or  naked  hook. 

Life  on  board  a  "mackerel  catcher"  is  very 
monotonous.  There  is  literally  nothing  to  do. 
One  man  who  can  steer  can  work  the  craft  all  day. 
The  sails  are  so  arranged  that  in  tacking  they 
work  themselves.  The  hands  do  therefore  what 
they  please.  Some  sleep,  some  read,  some  talk 
over  old  times,  and  a  few  old  fishermen  sit  upon 
the  quarter,  hour  after  hour,  spyglass  in  hand, 
watching  the  fleet  and  wishing  for  fish. 

Some  days  we  catch  a  few  mackerel ;  some  days 


A     FISH-DAY.  3C9 

we  do  not  see  a  "  live  one,"  but  tack  and  tack  to 
windward  all  day  long,  glad  when  the  setting  sun 
proclaims  the  time  for  "heaving  to  "  and  going 
bolow  to  sleep.  After  more  than  a  week  of  this 
kind  of  life,  there  comes  a  day  when  fisheimen 
begin  to  prophecy  the  approach  of  a  "  regular 
fish  day." 

All  day  the  wind  is  light  and  baffling,  while  a 
swell  comes  rolling  in  from  the  eastward,  which 
makes  our  little  vessel  tumble  about  strangely — 
sails  slatting,  and  blocks  creaking  mournfully  in 
the  calm. 

Toward  evening  the  wind  goes  down,  the  sky  is 
overcast  by  white  clouds,  and  the  weather  becomes 
ii  pea-jacket  colder.  Having  found  no  fish  all  day, 
we  take  in  sail  early,  see  everything  clear  for  a 
"  fish-day  "  to-morrow,  and,  all  but  the  watch  (one 
man),  turn  in  about  eight  o'clock. 

At  midnight,  when  I  am  called  up  out  of  my 
warm  bed  to  stand  an  hour's  watch,  I  find  the 
vessel  pitching  uneasily,  and  hear  the  breeze  blow- 
ing fitfully  through  the  naked  rigging.  Going  on 
deck  I  perceive  that  both  wind  and  sea  have  "  got 
up"  since  we  retired  to  rest.  The  sky  looks  low- 
ering, and  the  clouds  are  evidently  surcharged 
with  rain.  In  fine  the  weather,  as  my  predeces- 
sor on  watch  informs  me,  bears  every  sign  of  an 
excellent  fish -day  on  the  morrow.  I  accordingly 
grind  some  bait,  sharpen  up  my  hooks  once  more, 
see  my  lines  clear,  and  my  heaviest  jigs  (the  tech- 
meal  term  for  hooks  with  pewter  run  on  them), 
24 


370  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

on  the  rail  ready  for  use,  and  at  one  o'clock  return 
to  my  comfortable  bunk.  I  am  soon  again  asleep, 
an.l  dreaming  of  hearing  fire-bells  ringing,  and 
seeing  men  rush  to  the  fire ;  and  just  as  I  see  "the 
machine  "  round  the  corner  of  the  street,  am  start 
led  out  of  my  propriety,  my  dream,  sleep,  and  allt 
by  the  loud  cry  of  "  Fish  ho  !  " 

I  start  up  desperately  in  my  narrow  bunk, 
bringing  my  cranium  in  violent  contact  with  a 
beam  overhead,  which  has  the  effect  of  knocking 
me  flat  down  in  my  berth  again.  After  recovering 
as  much  consciousness  as  is  necessary  to  appre- 
ciate my  position,  I  roll  out  of  bed,  jerk  savagely 
at  my  boots,  and  snatching  up  my  cap  and  pea- 
jacket,  make  a  rush  at  the  companion  way.  up 
which  I  manage  to  fall  in  my  haste,  and  then 
spring  into  the  hold  for  a  strike-barrel. 

And  now  the  mainsail  is  up,  the  jib  down,  and 
the  captain  is  throwing  bait.  It  is  not  yet  quite 
light,  but  we  hear  other  mainsails  going  up  all 
round  us.  A  cool  drizzle  makes  the  morning  un- 
mistakably uncomfortable,  and  we  stand  around 
half  asleep,  with  our  sore  hands  in  our  pockets, 
wishing  we  were  at  home.  The  skipper,  how- 
ever,  is  holding  his  lines  over  the  rail  with  an  air 
which  clearly  intimates  that  the  slightest  kind  of 
a  nibble  will  be  quite  sufficient  this  morning  to 
seal  the  doom  of  a  mackerel. 

"  There,  by  Jove !  the  captain  hauls  back- 
there,  I  told  you  so  !  skipper's  got  him — no— aha, 
captain,  you  haul  back  too  savagely !  " 


•'SHORTEN     dP."  371 

With  uhe  first  movement  of  the  captain's  arm, 
indicating  the  presence  of  fish,  everybody  rashes 
madly  to  the  rail.  Jigs  are  heard  on  all  sides 
plashing  into  the  water,  and  eager  hands  and 
arms  are  stretched  at  their  full  length  over  the 
side,  feeling  anxiously  for  a  nibble. 

"  Sh — hish — there's  something  just  passed  my 
fly — I  felt  him,"  says  an  old  man  standing  along- 
side of  me. 

"  Yes,  and  I've  got  hini2"  triumphantly  shouts 
out  the  next  man  on  the  other  side  of  him,  haul- 
*  ig  in  as  he  speaks,  a  fine  mackerel,  and  striking 
aim  off  into  his  barrel  in  the  most  approved  style. 

Z — Z — zip  goes  my  line  through  and  deep  into 
my  poor  fingers,  as  a  huge  mackerel  rushes  sav- 
agely away  with  what  he  finds  is  not  so  great  a 
prize  as  he  thought  it.  I  get  confoundedly  flur- 
ried, miss  stroke  half  a  dozen  times  in  hauling  in 
as  many  fathoms  of  line,  and  at  length  succeed  in 
landing  my  first  fish  safely  in  my  barrel,  where 
he  flounders  away  "  most  melodiously,"  as  my 
neighbor  says. 

And  now  it  is  fairly  daylight,  and  the  rain, 
which  has  been  threatening  all  night,  begins  to 
pour  down  in  right  earnest.  As  the  heavy  drops 
patter  on  the  sea  the  fish  begin  to  bite  fast  and 
furiously. 

"  Shorten  up,"  says  the  skipper,  and  we  shorten 
in  our  lines  to  about  eight  feet  from  the  rail  to 
the  hooks,  when  we  can  jerk  them  in  just  as  fast 
as  we  can  move  our  hands  and  arms.  "  Keep 


372  WHALING     AND     FISHINO. 

your  lines  clear,"  is  now  the  word,  as  the  doomed 
fish  flip  faster  and  faster  into  the  barrels  standing 
to  receive  them.  Here  is  one  greedy  fellow 
already  casting  furtive  glances  behind  him,  and 
calculating  in  his  mind  how  many  fish  he  will 
have  to  lose  in  the  operation  of  getting  his  second 
atr  ike -barrel. 

Now  you  hear  no  sound  except  the  steady  flip  of 
fish  into  the  barrels.  Every  face  wears  an  expres- 
sion of  anxious  determination  ;  every  body  moves 
as  though  by  springs ;  every  heart  beats  loud  with 
excitement,  and  every  hand  hauls  in  fish  and 
throws  out  hooks  with  a  methodical  precision,  a 
kind  of  slow  haste,  which  unites  the  greatest  speed 
with  the  utmost  security  against  fouling  lines. 

And  now  the  rain  increases.  We  hear  jibs  rat- 
tling down ;  and  glancing  up  hastily,  I  am  sur- 
prised to  find  our  vessel  surrounded  on  all  sides 
by  the  fleet,  which  has  already  become  aware  thai 
we  have  got  fish  alongside.  Meantime  the  wind 
rises,  and  the  sea  struggles  against  the  rain,  which 
is  endeavoring  with  its  steady  patter  to  subdue 
the  turmoil  of  old  Ocean.  We  are  already  on  our 
third  barrel  each,  and  still  the  fish  come  in  as  fast 
as  ever,  and  the  business  (sport  it  has  ceased  to  be 
*ome  time  since),  continues  with  vigor  undimin- 
ished.  Thick  beads  of  perspiration  chase  each 
other  down  our  faces.  Jackets,  caps,  and  even 
over-shirts,  are  thrown  off,  to  give  more  freedom 
to  limbs  that  are  worked  to  their  utmost 

j "  H  illo !  where  are  the  fish  ?  "  All  gone  ?   Every 


THE    FLEET    ON    A    FISH^DAY.  373 

line  is  felt  eagerly  for  a  bite,  but  not  the  faintest 
nibble  is  perceptible.  The  mackerel,  which  bui 
A  moment  ago  were  fairly  rushing  on  board,  ba?6 
in  that  moment  disappeared  so  completely  that 
not  a  sign  of  one  is  left.  The  vessel  next  under 
our  lee  holds  them  a  little  longer  than  we,  but 
they  finally  also  disappear  from  her  side.  And 
so  on  all  around  us 

And  now  we  have  time  to  look  about  us — to 
compare  notes  on  each  other's  successes — to 
straighten  our  back  bones,  nearly  broken  and 
aching  horribly  with  the  constant  reaching  over; 
to  examine  our  fingers,  cut  to  pieces  and  grown 
sensationless  with  the  perpetual  dragging  of  small 
lines  across  them— to — "  There,  the  skipper's  got 
a  bite  ! — here  they  are  again,  boys,  and  big  fellows 
too  !  "  Everybody  rushes  once  more  to  the  rail, 
ind  business  commences  again,  but  not  at  so  fast 
i  rate  as  before.  By-and-by  there  is  another  ces- 
sation, and  we  hoist  our  jib  and  run  oif  a  little 
way,  into  a  new  birth, 

While  running  across,  I  take  the  first  good  look 
at  the  state  of  affairs  in  general.  We  lie,  as  before 
said,  nearly  in  the  center  of  the  whole  fleet,  which 
from  originally  covering  an  area  of  perhaps  fif- 
teen miles  each  way,  has  "knotted  up  '  into  a 
little  space,  not  above  two  miles  square.  In  many 
places,  although  the  sea  is  tolerably  rough,  the 
vessels  lie  so  closely  together  that  one  could  almost 
jump  from  one  to  the  other.  The  greatest  skill 
and  care  are  necessary  on  such  occasions  to  keep 


37 1  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

them  apart,  and  prevent  the  inevitable  consequen« 
ces  of  a  collision,  a  general  smash-up  of  masts, 
booms,  bulwarks,  etc.  Yet  a  great  fish-day  lika 
this  rarely  passes  off  without  some  vessels  sus- 
taining serious  damage.  We  thread  our  way 
ttmong  the  vessels  with  as  much  care,  and  as  dain- 
tily as  a  man  would  walk  over  ground  covered 
with  eggs ;  and  finally  get  into  a  berth  under  lee 
of  a  vessel  which  seems  to  hold  the  fish  pretty 
well.  Here  we  fish  away  by  spells,  for  they  have 
become  "spirty,"  that  is,  they  are  capricious,  and 
appear  and  disappear  suddenly. 

Meanwhile  the  rain  continues  pouring  out  of 
the  leaden  sky,  which  looks  as  though  about  to 
fall  on  us,  and  overwhelm  us  in  a  second  deluge. 
The  wind  is  getting  high ;  and  the  old  hands  are 
debating  among  themselves  as  to  the  most  judi- 
cious port  to  be  made  to-night.  At  ten  we  get 
breakfast,  consisting  of  coffee,  hot  cakes,  bread 
and  butter,  fish,  beef,  sweet  cakes,  and  apple 
sauce.  The  morning's  exercise  has  given  us  all  a 
ravenous  appetite,  and  the  celerity  with  which 
the  various  comestibles  spread  out  for  us  by  the 
cook  are  made  to  disappear,  would  astonish  ? 
dyspeptic. 

After  breakfast,  we  begin  to  clear  up  decks  a 
little,  preparatory  to  experiencing  some  part  of 
the  rough  weather  which  is  brewing.  Oil  clothes 
are  in  great  demand,  but  the  rain  somehow  con- 
trives to  soak  through  them,  and  they  form  but 
little  protection.  We  secure  our  mackerel  barrels 


DRESSING.  375 

TO  the  bulwarks,  lash  up  the  various  loose  objects 
about  decks,  and  put  on  the  hatches.  The  fish 
still  bite,  but  more  moderately,  and  by  "  spirts," 
and  in  the  half  liquid  state  in  which  we  all  find 
ourselves,  we  mechanically  hold  our  lines  over  the 
rail  and  haul  in  fish  with  as  little  motion  to  oui 
bodies  as  possible;  for  the  skin  in  such  weathei 
gets  marvelously  tender,  and  is  apt  to  rub  off  on 
very  slight  provocation. 

At  one  o'clock  "Seat  ye,  one  half/'  from  the 
cook,  proclaims  dinner  on  the  table,  and  "  one 
half"  accordingly  go  down  to  "finish  their  break- 
fast," as  a  facetious  shipmate  remarks.  The  cabh. 
of  a  fisherman  be  it  known  is  too  confined  tc 
accommodate  an  entire  fishing  crew  with  seats 
around  the  table,  and  accordingly  it  is  customary 
for  the  oldest  hands  to  eat  first,  leaving  the  young 
men  and  boys  to  follow  at  second  table. 

After  dinner  we  make  preparations  for  dressing 
our  fish.  Gib-tubs,  split-knives,  barrels,  wash- 
barrels,  buckets,  mittens,  and  sea-boots,  are  hunted 
up.  and  water  begins  to  flow  about  decks  more 
plentifully  than  ever.  Mackerel  are  "dressed" 
by  splitting  them  down  the  back,  taking  out  their 
entrails  (called  in  fishermen's  parlance  "  gibs  "), 
clearing  them  of  blood  by  immersion  in  salt  water, 
and  then  salting  them  down  in  layers,  in  the  bar 
rels  prepared  for  that  purpose. 

Two  persons  compose  a  "  gang "  for  dressiEg. 
One  of  them  splits  the  fish  and  throws  them  to 
the  other,  who  by  a  dexterous  twist  of  his  thumbs 


376  WHALING     AND     FISSlNO. 

and  the  fingers  of  his  right  hand,  extracts  the 
entrails  and  throws  the  cleaned  fish  into  a  bar- 
rel of  salt  water  at  hand.  *' Dressing"  fish  is 
disagreeable  work  in  itself,  but  generally  passe* 
off  lively  enough,  as  it  is  the  concluding  scene 
in  what  fishermen  call  "a  day's  work."  One 
now  learns  how  much  he  has  in  reality  caught, 
and  miser-like  plunges  up  to  the  armpits  in  the 
riches  he  has  that  day  won.  Then  too,  dressing 
is  enlivened  by  many  a  jest,  and  anecdote,  and 
song,  every  body  feeling  joyful  at  the  events  of  the 
day,  and  hopeful  for  the  success  of  the  voyage. 
And  while  the  operation  of  catching  fish  is  fol- 
lowed with  an  intensity  and  ardor  which  does  not 
admit  of  the  slightest  flagging  of  attention,  dressing 
is  the  very  reverse,  and  may  be  made  as  lively  as 
possible  without  detriment  to  the  work. 

Soon  after  commencing  to  dress,  the  whole 
fleet  gets  under  way,  and  steers  toward  the  land, 
which  is  faintly  visible  under  our  lee,  the  wind 
being  from  the  northeast.  Going  square  before 
it,  we  soon  near  the  land,  and  as  we  do  so,  both 
wind  and  sea  increase.  We  have  a  grand  chance 
to  try  the  sailing  qualities  of  our  little  boat — a 
3hance  which  a  mackerel  man  never  neglects ; 
for  next  to  getting  a  good  share  of  fish,  a  man  is 
considered  most  .fortunate  if  he  has  a  smart  sail- 
ing vessel.  "We  overhaul  a  good  many,  and  are 
badly  beaten  by  a  few  of  the  vessels,  as  might 
be  expected  in  so  large  a  fleet.  And  as  we 
come  into  competition  with  some  new  vessel, 


INTO    PORT.  377 

our  crew  tell  at  once  hei  name,  if  she  is  known 
to  them,  or  if  entirely  unknown,  at  any  rate  hei 
hailing  place. 

After  dressing,  we  Bait  our  catch.  This  is  sorry 
work  for  sore  fingers,  hands,  and  arms,  of  which, 
after  a  day's  work  like  the  present,  there  is  alwaya 
a  plentiful  supply,  mackereling  being  under  any 
circumstances  a  business  in  which  sores  of  all  kinds 
on  hands  and  feet  are  singularly  plenty  and  hard 
to  get  rid  of.  But  salting  does  not  last  forever, 
and  the  few  preparations  for  going  into  harbor 
being  already  completed,  we  gather  together,  as 
dusk  comes  on,  in  little  knots  about  the  deck,  dis- 
cuss the  day's  work,  point  out  familiar  vessels,  and 
argue  on  their  various  sailing  qualities,  and  once 
in  a  while  slily  peep  down  the  "  companion-way  " 
into  the  snug  little  cabin,  where  the  "ram-cat" 
(the  sailors'  name  for  a  cabin  stove)  glows  so 
brightly,  and  every  thing  looks  so  comfortable, 
and  in  particular  so  dry,  that  our  hearts  yearn  for 
a  place,  by  the  fire.  Landsmen,  poor  fellows,  have 
no  idea  how  great  an  amount  of  real,  unmistakable 
comfort  may  be  contained  in  a  little  box  eight  feet 
by  twelve,  with  a  table  in  the  middle,  seats  and 
berths  at  the  sides,  a  stove  and  hatchway  at  one 
end,  a  row  of  shelves  and  a  box-cornpass  at  the 
other  and  a  skylight  over  head,  the  whole  smell- 
irg  villainously  of  decayed  fish  and  bilge-water. 
Happily  for  mankind,  all  happiness  is  compara- 
tive, else  would  not  the  dirty,  confined  cabin  of  a 
fisherman  eve/1  be  considered  a  very  Elysium  of 


3  WHALING    AND     FISHING. 

comfort  and  a  seat  by  its  fire  be  regarded  as  a 
luxury,  than  which  the  conqueror  of  the  world 
can  wish  for  nothing  better. 

We  are  fast  nearing  our  haven.  And  glad 
;jiough  we  all  are  of  it,  for  the  wind  has  risen 
an  til  it  already  blows  half  a  gale,  and  the  great 
waves  roll  after  us  savagely,  trying  to  overtake 
ue,  and  looking  as  though  if  they  did,  they  would 
inevitably  smother  our  little  craft.  And  then 
too,  as  the  excitement  of  the  day  dies  out,  and 
we  stand  inactively  about,  the  rain  seems  colder, 
and  our  wet  clothes  adhere  clammily  to  our 
bodies,  and  make  moving  about  a  misery.  Yon- 
der is  East  Point  Light  shining  brightly  on  our 
beam.  The  headmost  of  our  companions  have 
already  shot  around  the  point,  and  are  running 
up  to  their  anchorage. 

"  Man  your  sheets  now,  boys,  and  stand  by  to 
trim  aft ! "  sings  out  our  skipper.  As  we  string 
along  the  ropes  the  helm  goes  down.  She  comes 
into  the  wind,  shaking  like  a  dog  just  come  out 
of  the  water,  and  at  the  same  time  the  sails 
are  trimmed  flat,  and  we  gayly  round  the  point. 
In  less  than  fifteen  minutes  we  are  in  smooth 
ivater. 

Two  tacks  take  us  nearly. up  to  Ten  Pound 
Island  Light,  and  as  we  stand  over  once  more, 

"Haul  down  the  foresail!"  shouts  the  captain. 
u  Stand  by  your  main  and  jib  halyards !  see  youi 
anchor  all  clear!  " 

"There's  a  good  berth,  skipper,"  says  one  of 


ANCHORING.  3?9 

the  old  hands,  "  right  alongside  of  that  Chatnam 
smack."  (It  is  so  dark  that,  do  my  best,  I  can 
not  make  out  even  the  rig  of  the  vessel  to  which 
my  old  friend  so  readily  gives  a  "  local  habitation 
and  a  name." 

Here  we  are — down  jib  !  "  and  down  it  rattlei 
without  any  trouble,  as  her  head  swings  into  the 
wind.  As  her  headway  is  deadened,  "let  go  the 
anchor  ! "  is  the  word,  and  a  plash,  and  the  rattle 
of  a  few  fathoms  of  cable  tell  us  that  we  are  fast 
for  the  night. 

"  Pay  out  cable,  boys;  a  good  scope,  and  let 
her  ride  easy!"  and  the  rest  of  us  go  aft  and 
haul  down  the  enormous  mainsail,  the  wet  can- 
vas of  which  feels  as  though  made  of  stout  wire. 
It  is  soon  furled  up,  and  a  lantern  fastened  in  the 
rigging,  and  then  we  make  a  general  rush  for  the 
cabin.  Here  wet  clothes  and  boots  are  flung  off 
and  thrown  pell  mell  on  deck,  dry  suits  donned, 
and  then  "  one  half"  crawl  into  their  bunks,  while 
the  balance  eat  their  suppers. 

Meanwhile  we  hear  an  incessant  rattling  of 
Bails  and  plashing  of  anchors  on  every  side  of 
us,  while  the  wind  whistles  wildly  through  our 
rigging,  and  the  rain  dashes  fiercely  against  the 
(skylight  and  deck  overhead,  increasing  our  com- 
fort by  reminding  us  of  the  sufferings  we  have 
escaped. 

It  is  not  until  after  supper  that  we  begin  to 
think  of  the  damages  sustained  in  our  persona 
during  the  past  day's  work.  And  now  rags, 


380  WHALING    AND    FISHING. 

salve,  and  liniment,  and  all  the  various  piepa- 
rations  for  ameliorating  the  condition  of  sor* 
fingers,  sore  wrists,  sore  arms,  sore  feet,  sore 
ankles,  and  sore  shins,  are  brought  into  requi- 
sition ;  the  cook  is  flattered  and  cajoled  out  of 
modicums  of  hot  fresh  water;  and  stockings  are 
taken  oif,  sleeves  rolled  up,  bandages  unrolled, 
and  groans  and  growls  resound  from  every  corner 
of  the  cabin. 

Before  retiring  to  rest  I  take  a  peep  on  deck. 
The  gale  is  roaring  fiercely  through  the  bare  rig- 
ging, and  a  blinding  storm  of  hail  and  sleet,  a 
blast  of  which  salutes  my  face  as  I  put  it  out  of 
the  companion-way,  adds  to  the  inclemency  of  the 
night.  The  dark  storm-clouds  scud  wildly  across 
the  sky,  and  the  wind  fairly  shrieks  at  times, 
as  though  glorying  in  the  strength  to  bear  down 
everything  coming  in  its  path.  It  is  truly  a  wild 
night,  and  as  I  descend  again  to  my  comfortable 
place  by  the  fire,  I  think  anxiously  of  the  poor 
souls  who  are  tossed  about  in  such  weather — cold, 
wet,  and  suffering  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and 
waters.  I  am  not  alone  in  my  thoughts,  for  as  1 
shake  the  sleet  off  my  rough  cap,  I  hear  our  gray- 
headed  old  skipper  mutter  softly  to  himself,  "God 
pity  poor  sailors  who  are  caught  in  Boston  Bay  in 
this  storm." 

We  go  to  sleep  early — get  up  late  next  morning 
— get  breakfast — (the  storm  still  raging) — head 
up,  and  strike  down  the  mackerel  caught  the  pre« 
ceding  day;  clear  up  decks,  and  then  go  ashore  01 


IN    POET.  381 

visit  some  of  the  other  vessels.  To  do  either  of 
the  latter,  we  do  not  require  the  assistance  of 
boats,  for  the  fleet  has  so  crowded  the  harbor, 
that  one  can  without  difficulty  walk  from  one  side 
of  the  harbor  to  the  other,  a  distance  of  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile,  on  vessels. 

Toward  evening  the  wind  hauls  to  the  north- 
ward, the  weather  clears  up,  and  great  snow-white 
clouds,  looking  like  gigantic  puffs  of  steam  from 
some  engine  in  the  other  world,  roll  grandly  across 
the  sky,  sure  signs  of  good  weather.  "We  "turn 
in  "  early,  and  are  called  out  at  three  o'clock  A.  M. 
to  get  under  way.  We  find  every  body  around  us 
in  motion,  some  heaving  up  their  anchors,  others 
hoisting  their  sails,  some  with  boats  ahead,  being 
towed  out  of  the  crowd,  so  as  to  enable  them  to 
shape  a  course,  and  a  few  already  steering  oat  of 
the  harbor.  We  follow  suit  with  all  haste,  and 
daylight  finds  us  in  Boston  Bay,  with  the  fleet 
around  us,  and  the  hills  of  Cape  Ann  blue  in  the 
distance. 

Such  is  a  fish  day,  with  its  accompaniments. 
Of  a  series  of  such,  with  the  intervening  period? 
of  idleness,  our  trip  was  composed.  It  would  be 
tedious  to  enter  into  a  narrative  of  the  voyage, 
therefore.  Sufficient  understanding  of  the  de- 
lights and  discomforts  of  the  business  will  be 
gained  by  what  I  have  recounted.  Our  first  trip 
lasted  five  weeks.  In  that  time  we  filled  up  every 
barrel  on  board.  Eeturning  to  Harwich,  we 
landed  our  cargo.  Here  the  fish  were  assorted 


382  WHALING    AND    FI8HINO. 

packed  and  weighed;  and  the  barrels  finally 
branded  to  show  that  they  contain  "  200  Ibs.  mack 
erel,"  No.  3 ,  2,  or  3,  as  the  case  may  be.  After  foul 
days  detention,  we  set  out  upon  another  trip.  This 
time  we  were  four  weeks  in  filling  up  our  vessel. 
It  was  now  getting  cold.  So  upon  our  second  re- 
turn to  port,  I  left  the  vessel,  received  the  returns 
for  my  labor,  and  with  about  forty  dollars  in  my 
pocket,  took  passage  in  a  schooner  bound  to  New 
York. 

Shall  I  now  make  my  pre-determined  attempt  to 
remain  ashore?  was  a  question  which  incessantly 
engaged  my  mind.  It  seemed  almost  like  a  vain 
hope ;  but  I  finally  determined  to  make  at  least  one 
strong  effort.  If  that  failed — it  would  be  time 
enough  to  think  what  should  be  done  afterward 
On  my  arrival  in  New  York  I  procured  myself 
some  "  shore  clothing,"  and  for  some  days  dili- 
gently sought  a  situation  of  some  kind.  It  was 
not  till  this  search  for  employment  began,  that  I 
was  made  fully  aware  how  utterly  useless  a  sailor 
is  for  aught,  except  the  most  severe  physical  toil, 
on  shore.  It  was  only  now  I  began  to  suspect 
that  the  habits  of  the  ship  had  taken  such  entire 
possession  of  me  as  to  unfit  me  for  any  other  life 
than  that  of  a  sailor.  Yet  "  a  trial  shall  be  made," 
thought  I.  In  New  York  I  had  no  friends. 
Wherever  I  applied  for  employment,  I  was  asked 
for  references.  Having  none,  it  would  next  be 
asked,  "What  did  you  do  last?"  An  acknowl- 
edgment that  I  had  been  a  seaman  was  alwayi 


STAYING     ASHORE.  383 

productive  of  a  speedy  annihilation  of  my  hopes. 
"  I  would  like  to  take  you,"  said  the  kindest  man 
to  whom  I  had  occasion  to  apply,  "  but  a  sailor, 
you  know,  would  never  do  for  me.  You  wouli 
not  remain  a  month  at  any  steady  employment." 

After  a  week  spent  in  vain  applications  in  New 
York,  I  shipped  in  a  brig  for  Philadelphia.  Here 
I  was  kindly  but  suspiciously  received  by  good 
people  who  had  befriended  me  when  I  first  set  out 
from  home  to  go  to  sea.  What  struggles  were 
necessary  before  I  was  able,  even  here,  with  the 
assistance  of  friends,  to  gain  a  firm  footing ;  how 
I  was  on  every  hand  met  with  suspicion  and  dis- 
trust ;  how  no  one  could  believe  that  I  would 
remain  steadily  ashore ;  and  how  this  very  unbelief 
led  me  oft-times  to  think  seriously  of  returning 
to  my  sea-life — doubting  myself,  because  others 
doubted  me — none  of  this  need  be  more  than 
mentioned  here.  Suffice  it,  that  by  a  persistent 
effort,  and  a  struggle  through  which  I  would  net 
like  again  to  pass,  I  at  length  proved  to  doubting 
friends  that  there  is  redemption  for  even  a  sailor. 

But  to  this  day  my  firmest  friends  mildly  doult 
the  permanency  of  my  shore  life.  Shall  I  owi/, 
that  I  sometimes  see  that  in  a  sailor's  (ixigteiv  s 
which  is  Dreferable  to  some  lives  on  land  ? 


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